Xiao Jiang

Xiao Jiang, (b. 1977 Jinggangshan, Jiangxi Province, China) crafts atmospheric oil paintings capturing landscapes, people, and indoor scenes. He sources inspiration from his daily life, often using his own photographs, transforming them into depictions that extend his personal encounters. Jiang approaches his source material with a painterly and imaginative technique, crafting representations of actual locations that evoke both detachment and emotion. His childhood spent amidst mountains deeply influences him, resulting in expansive landscapes and rugged terrains that convey unconscious emotions and offer a tranquil space for his inner contemplations.

The human presence is subtly implied through vacant, human-made pathways, symbolizing the figurative ‘journey forward.’ His artistic compositions feature harmonious pairs of subdued reds and greens, mirroring the serene balance within his subjects. Visual components are simplified into flat swaths of color, gently shifting and devoid of intricate details. The resulting creations exude introspection, reminiscent of the serene solitude seen in the works of Edward Hopper. As Jiang himself has expressed “I would like my artworks to be less straightforward; they appeared to be ordinary yet with a hint of suggestion. This helps leave room for audiences to have their own interpretation.

Jiang obtained a degree from the China Academy of Art in 2003. Recent individual exhibitions encompass showcases at Vanguard Gallery, Shanghai (2021); LEO Gallery, Hong Kong (2020); Vanguard Gallery, Shanghai (2018); and MOCUBE, Beijing (2017).

Reservoir afar and mountains further away, 2020
Oil on burlap
90 x 120cm

On display in the Brasserie, first floor