Xia Xiaowan

Xia Xiaowan is a contemporary Chinese painter and sculptor. Best known for his three-dimensional, painted works, Xia has pioneered a unique process that mimics MRI sequence imaging. In his meticulous practice, many small slivers of form are painted on sequential panes of glass which, when affixed together, result in a holographic and illusory object. Xia’s work notably often features grotesquely figural subjects of distorted faces and body parts, suspended in a cloudy space that evokes a bleak and tortured atmosphere. Born in Beijing, China in 1959, he went on to graduate from the painting department of the Central Academy of Fine Arts in 1982. He has received considerable international attention for his work, including a 2012 solo exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Arts in Singapore and his inclusion in the 2006 Shanghai Biennale. He lives and works in Beijing, China.