Lei Gao is a New Zealand-based new media artist and fine art photographer. She is a member of the Royal Photographic Society (UK) and the Photographic Society of New Zealand. Her artistic practice focuses on visual storytelling that explores the complexities of immigrant life, cultural identity, and belonging. She is the author of the photography book Land of the Long White Cloud, which documents the real-life experiences of immigrant communities in New Zealand through a delicate and insightful lens.

In 2009, Lei earned her Master’s degree in Product Design from Loughborough University in the UK. She immigrated to New Zealand with her family in 2016 and has since embraced photography as a powerful means of expressing both personal reflection and social observation. She is also the founder of the WeChat public account New Zealand Parenting Stories, where she shares the immigrant experience through articles and short videos, gaining a wide following.

Leila’s work has received multiple international photography awards and has been exhibited in several prestigious international photography exhibitions. With a keen eye and sincere artistic voice, she continues to explore the intersections of cultural migration, memory, family, and a sense of home, establishing herself as a thoughtful and compelling contemporary visual artist.