Fusing together elements such as classical Chinese motifs, characters from old Chinese folk tales or Western comics, Tsai deploys aesthetically pleasing and fun imageries to present contemporary subject matters, which are often major current topics and social issues affecting contemporary societies today.
By making his works in pop art style using techniques such as traditional Chinese lacquer carvings, traditional Suzhou embroidery, porcelain and hand-crafted screen prints, the artist shows his deep enthusiasm towards Chinese artistry, which is not merely confined in his subject matters, but is also shown by his aspirations to preserve these centuries-old, meticulous Chinese craftsmanship which would otherwise disappear.
Tsai’s East-meet-West works closely correlate to his own conflicting self-identity since he moved to London and studied at Central Saint Martins in his early 20’s. He constantly pushes cultural boundaries and subverts viewers’ expectations with novelty, engaging viewers on different levels and presenting them with sociopolitical issues from an alternative prospective.