The artwork presents a close-up view of two legs, capturing the subtle variations in skin tone and texture. The muted, earthy colors create a sense of warmth and intimacy, while the smooth, elongated forms convey a serene and contemplative mood. The artist's masterful use of light and shadow enhances the organic, almost sculptural quality of the composition. This piece invites the viewer to pause and reflect on the beauty and vulnerability inherent in the human form, showcasing the artist's keen eye for detail and their ability to evoke a profound emotional response through the simplicity of their subject matter. ...
Xiao Hanqiu (b.1986, Beijing, China) is a painter and a poet. Xiao’s paintings on canvas juxtapose objects in situations that conjure the ethereal magic and intensity of being. Her paintings operate like her poems: linear narrative is rejected in favour of open questions that reflect on the complexity, ineffability, and inconstancy of experience. Xiao received her MA Fine Art from Chelsea College of Art and Design in 2011, and BA Fine Art from Leeds University in 2008.
Highlight of her recent group exhibitions include NADA Miami 2023, presented by Tabula Rasa Gallery (Miami, 2023); Contemporary Myths and Artifacts (Stockholm, 2023); Tabula Rasa: Unveiled, No.9 Cork Street (London, 2023); Minor Attractions x Cornershop (London, 2023). Recent solo exhibitions include Love stories and horror stories, Lyles and King (solo, New York, 2022); LISTE Art Fair Basel 2021, Tabula Rasa Gallery (dual solo, Basel, 2021); Honey, Bee, Tabula Rasa Gallery, (solo, London, 2021); Skating Through the Gallery with Tricksy Snakes,Tabula Rasa Gallery, (solo, Beijing, 2018); That’s Quite Something, Canton Gallery, (solo, Guangzhou, 2018); and Self-portrait, Tabula Rasa Gallery (solo, Beijing, 2016).
She has published four poem collections: Losing Everything is Beautiful (2022), A Dream Comes True (2019), Three Minutes to Midnight Flower Thief (2018), and Four Hearts (2015). ...
Tabula Rasa Gallery is based in Beijing's 798 art district. Established in 2015, it aims to promote both Chinese and international contemporary artists through exhibitions, talks, research and publication. The gallery name is Latin for 'blank state'. In philosophical discourse, it refers to the idea that our knowledge comes from our experiences and education, all participants are born in a Tabula Rasa state. Tabula Rasa hopes that the exhibitions they present can subvert viewers’ preconceptions, creating conditions for fresh artistic experiments. ...
