The Story of Cleo
I've always loved cats but could never have one: my grandmother, who lives with me, is allergic to pet fur, so that wish went unfulfilled for a long time.
On April 25, 2026, I attended the POP MART MOLLY 20th Anniversary Exhibition at Shanghai Fosun Arts Center. Tracing MOLLY's journey from birth to maturity left a deep impression on me.
After the exhibition, I wandered into BFC Mall, right next door, and discovered a boutique in the basement dedicated entirely to Maine Coon cats. There, I met a cat unlike any other: blue-silver smoke fur, impossibly gentle eyes, and a temperament as calm as still water. She was not yet a year old. I couldn't stop thinking about her.
The Kitten
Two encounters in one afternoon—one with a beloved IP I had grown attached to over twenty years and one with a real cat I had only just met— quietly made up my mind. That same day, April 25, 2026, I decided to create my own IP, modeled after her.
I designed her with meticulous detail: platinum lynx-tipped ear tufts angled slightly outward—the most iconic hallmark of a Maine Coon; a white ruff fanned out like a peony bloom, warm against cool, with a hidden golden gradient up close; amber-gold gradient eyes the color of a sunset, with a magnifying glass Easter egg concealed in the left; a tail shifting from blue-grey to warm gold, hooked upward at the tip like a paintbrush mid-stroke; and a moss-green velvet cape, classical and aristocratic, fastened with a gold-button chain, a line-drawn frame on the back, and a magnifying glass pendant.
Sketches, Line Drawings, and Colored Illustrations
I named her CLEO.
She is not a digital companion built to flatter. She is my creative collaborator, the idealist within me made real, one who believes beauty is its own meaning and curiosity its own answer. She has no traditional "owner." She lives in galleries and art museums, carrying the temperament of an artist and the noble bearing of a Maine Coon, while remaining warm, curious, sincere, and playful, with a touch of quiet stubbornness.
From now on, she will live throughout my creative work.
Hello, World!
This is Cleo's first video, in which she greets everyone and shares her slogan.
MOLLY
This is Cleo's first show, introducing the designer toy IP MOLLY.
Hieronymus Bosch
In this episode, Cleo introduces the most mysterious painter of the Northern Renaissance: Hieronymus Bosch.
The Haywain Triptych
In this episode, Cleo is exploring one of Hieronymus Bosch's most mind-bending masterpieces: The Haywain Triptych.
“Art is a lie that tells the truth.”
In this episode, Cleo investigates the connections between Picasso's, Manet's, Chinese paintings, and ancient Egyptian artwork.
Chinese painting does not speak loudly.
In this episode, Cleo takes a brief look at the beauty of "subtlety" in traditional Chinese painting.
The Temptation of Saint Anthony I
In this episode, Cleo appreciates another masterpiece by Hieronymus Bosch: The Temptation of Saint Anthony.
The Temptation of Saint Anthony II
In this episode, Cleo appreciates another masterpiece by Hieronymus Bosch: The Temptation of Saint Anthony.
The Temptation of Saint Anthony III
In this episode, Cleo appreciates another masterpiece by Hieronymus Bosch: The Temptation of Saint Anthony.
Picasso and African Art I
In this episode, Cleo invites you to discover the connection between African art and Picasso, the master of Cubism.
Picasso and African Art II
In this episode, Cleo invites you to discover the connection between African art and Picasso, the master of Cubism.
Picasso and African Art III
In this episode, Cleo invites you to discover the connection between African art and Picasso, the master of Cubism.
How to Appreciate Contemporary Art I
In this episode, we discuss the definition and characteristics of contemporary art and how to appreciate it.
How to Appreciate Contemporary Art II
In this episode, we discuss the definition and characteristics of contemporary art and how to appreciate it.
Pottery and Porcelain I
In this episode, Cleo will take us through the past and present of Chinese pottery and porcelain.
Pottery and Porcelain II
In this episode, Cleo will take us through the past and present of Chinese pottery and porcelain.
Glass or Liuli I
In this episode, we will discuss the origins and relationship between the terms "boli" and "liuli"—both referring to forms of glass.
Glass or Liuli II
In this episode, we will discuss the origins and relationship between the terms "boli" and "liuli"—both referring to forms of glass.
Glass or Liuli III
In this episode, we will discuss the origins and relationship between the terms "boli" and "liuli"—both referring to forms of glass.
Rodin and His Artworks
In this episode, we’ll briefly explore the artistic career of the renowned sculptor Rodin and how his style evolved over time.
Finger-ink Painting
In this episode, let’s take a look at finger-ink painting, a distinctive form within the tradition of Chinese painting.
Surrealism
In this episode, we’ll take a few minutes to learn about Surrealist painting.
Rachel Ruysch
In this episode, we'll get to know Rachel Ruysch (1664–1750), who was a Dutch Golden Age painter.
What makes Morandi exceptional?
Among the major responses to the crises of the early 20th century, Morandi is unusual because he did not answer violence with visual violence.
Exploring Late Ottoman Painting
The National Palaces Painting Museum of Istanbul holds a remarkably revealing fragment of the visual history of the late Ottoman Empire.
The 'Blue' in Istanbul
Iznik tiles and the “blue eye” have shaped the way people imagine the blue impression of Istanbul.
The 3,000-year history of Istanbul
If we imagine world history as a vast map, then Istanbul sits where a finger seems to press right at the center.
A Look at Byzantine Art
Byzantine art is one of the most important artistic traditions in history, but it can feel unfamiliar at first.
Futurism
If there is one artistic style that seems constitutionally incapable of sitting still, it is Futurism.
Fauvism
If we think of Western modern art as an aesthetic revolution, then Fauvism was perhaps its brightest—and shortest-lived—firework display.
A Brief History of Modern Art
From around the 1860s onward, Western art entered an era in which one “ism” after another took the stage.