Tommy Lei
“I am not interested in what is perfect. I am interested in what is.”
— Tommy Lei
"Transforming my evocative images into fine art print is an essential part of my creative process here at the studio. Having direct access to some of the most prestigious papers from the Canson Infinity printing house truly makes my prints sing with the highest of vibrations, textures and stories. The gravitas of Platine Fibre Rag to the storied textures of Arches Aquarelle Rag are unparalleled in archival and print quality. Seeing these prints framed and hung in the homes of my collectors or at an exhibit really brings this full-circle experience to life. Canson Infinity papers imbue my prints with a sense of timelessness and vividness that encourages appreciation and interaction. "
Tommy Lei (b. 1988, Hong Kong) is a Los Angeles–based visual artist whose photographic work investigates stillness, perception, and impermanence. Working with archival pigment prints across wood, acrylic, and aluminum, Lei distills natural and urban landscapes into contemplative visual fields that heighten awareness of light, space, and presence.
Informed by a bicultural upbringing, his practice bridges Eastern philosophy and Western minimalism, exploring fragility, resilience, and the subtle emotional architecture of lived environments. His acclaimed series Infrared Dreams reconfigures familiar flora and terrain through custom infrared processes, revealing spectral dimensions that challenge conventional sight and reframe the act of looking.
Restrained and deliberate, Lei’s compositions favor clarity over spectacle, offering work that is meditative yet structurally precise. Rather than document the world, he reframes it—creating images that function as both visual inquiry and quiet refuge.
Lei holds a degree from Cornell University. His work has been exhibited at the Pasadena Museum of History, is held in the JPMorgan Chase Art Collection, and has been featured in Architizer, Aesthetica Magazine, and The Washington Post. He is a member of the Arroyo Arts Collective and serves as a Canson Infinity Ambassador.
