"Each circular painting is a strange gateway for the contemporary observer," explained the enigmatic Chengxiang.
Born in Jiangxi, China, Chengxiang studied at the local art school before he was nominated as an Artist to Watch in 2007 at Beijing's BS1 Contemporary Art Museum. His work has also been featured in group exhibitions in Shanghai, Beijing, Taipei, Los Angeles, and Southampton, New York.
His ink paintings are inspired by ancient Chinese folk tails and mythology. It's a look back at a cultural past that slips further and further away from the realities of modern life in the ever growing country. Each work catalogs an inner struggle faced by the rising Chinese middle class: the choice between traditional orthodoxy, and globalized capitalism. While the two may seem irreconcilable, Chengxiang imagines
As the West grows interested in China, the movers within the society — once closed off from the Western world — can't help but reciprocate. Though, westernizing forces abound, there are those intent on preserving whatever small part of their vast cultural heritage they can salvage from the perils of overdevelopment. Chengxiang falls somewhere in between.
Symbolism abounds, freely flowing throughout his work. Noteworthy are his use of cranes, symbols of immortality and the Taoist "xian," who could fly between worlds
Chengxiang's work comes to Miami courtesy of Art
"Modern Utopia" is currently on view at Miami Dade College Hialeah Campus, 1780 W. 49 St., Hialeah. For more information, visit mdc.edu.