About harika xing xu 许星
Harika Xu is a Chinese lighting designer, projection/video designer, and photographer. Based in Vancouver, she works and travels across Canada, frequently between Vancouver, Toronto, and Montreal. She is always happy to go wherever the job takes her, within or beyond Canada.
Harika’s main interests lie in musical theatre, opera and dance. Her work reflects a deep commitment to stage storytelling and a passion for creating impactful, multi-sensory experiences across disciplines.
Born on a small island in southeastern China, her way of seeing and making is shaped by the ocean and natural world around her. She discovered her love for visual storytelling and digital art at a young age. She holds a BFA with a double major in Theatre Design & Production and Visual Art from the University of British Columbia, where she was mentored in theatre by Professor Robert Gardiner, and in photography by Professor Barrie Jones. She is also a proud member of the Associated Designers of Canada.
Over the years, Harika has been fortunate to learn from and be mentored by celebrated Canadian lighting designers, including Gerald King, Sonoyo Nishikawa, Lesley Wilkinson, Robert Thomson, Sophie Tang, Kimberly Purtell, Renée Brode, Alan Brodie, Itai Erdal, Robert Sondergaard, and Michelle Ramsay. These mentorships have helped shape her artistic voice, which blends abstract expression with technical precision.
Light and projection are Harika’s primary tools for storytelling. She uses them to sculpt atmosphere, evoke emotion, and guide audiences through time and space. Her work is recognized for its bold yet refined visual language, often described as expressive, painterly, and immersive.
Harika is especially interested in stories that center underrepresented voices, including immigrant experiences, marginalized identities, and explorations of womanhood. She is drawn to works that integrate music, movement, immersive environments, and non-verbal communication.
Beyond the stage, Harika explores the intersections of performance art and photography. Her visual art engages with themes of femininity, intimacy, and media manipulation, often revealing the “performance behind the image” and exploring the relationship between audience and spectacle.
For inquiries, collaborations, or to connect with Harika, please reach out via email.