Art

At District we value the local art scene. All the art hanging on our walls comes from Bay Area artists. We rotate our art seasonally and give 100% of sales proceeds back to the artist.

Christina Xu

As a first generation American, I have spent most of my time and energy understanding what it means to belong to a place where one doesn’t have roots: a common anxiety that many may face, be they immigrants or not. As I honor certain aspects of my life as an Asian woman and as a child to immigrant parents, my conversations with my pieces evolve, and I grow through the relationships I have with myself and the world.

In my role as an artist, I highlight the beauty that already exists. I paint people—people of color, women, students, workers—the pillars of society. I paint to represent my culture. I paint to represent my community. I paint to facilitate a conversation between piece and viewer- a communication that evolves with each set of eyes and each set of brushes and colors.

In April 2020, I had completed my first solo mural. I started in January, before the COVID-19 Shelter in Place orders, and before we realized what it really feels like to detach from the community that once bubbled effortlessly around us. The subject of the mural is connection, shown throughout with repetitive colors and shapes. The bubbles are atoms and electromagnetic fields around living creatures, and also are an expression of my belief that each living thing has its place in the grand scheme—the portrait of life. As locals and tourists (in face masks) wandered by, their comments and observations served as springboards for greater connection between both observer and creator of the art installation, as well as between each other: the purpose of art and the reminder that we are infinitely connected.

Website: https://christinaxu.art/

Instagram: @christinaxu_