Portrait #24
Shen Xiaotong
Portrait #24
2006
oil on canvas
995 x 3390 mm
Shen Xiaotong was born in Chengdu, China and graduated in 1989 from the Sechuan Academy of Fine Arts. His painting practice to date has explored portraiture, and throughout this, colour plays a primary role. Shen's canvases of the early 1990s were saturated with red, while more recent works, such as Painting #24 feature a distinctive pastel palette. The majority of Shen' portraits are group portraits, often featuring friends and acquaintances of the artist. Yet while the figures within Shen's works are grouped in a way that implies a shared connection, there is little sense of direct communication or solidarity among the subjects. Instead, finding solitude in a multitude, the figures gaze in different directions - occasionally looking towards the viewer, more often staring at sights unseen, beyond the edges of the picture plane.
Part of the new wave of internationally recognised contemporary Chinese artists, Shen's work examines a rapidly changing society in the wake of the Cultural Revolution. Comparisons are often drawn for example, between his work and that of contemporary Zhang Xiaogang, known particularly for his 'bloodlines' series of portraits. Unlike Zhang's work however, which often features formal family compositions, Shen's subjects are not steeped in shared history, or even bound by a shared present. In works such as Painting #24, the figures occupy an entirely ambiguous physical space and attention is focused towards the psychological. Searching, inquisitive or contemplative, Shen’s figures look towards an unknown future.
Portrait #24 is not only an excellent example of Shen's key concerns, but also of the highlights of his technique. Seemingly weightless, the figures in the work are depicted in soft, smoky tones. The falling rain beads the faces and clothing of the subjects and creates an almost melting effect. This, combined with the questing gaze of its participants, creates a work that is thoughtful, melancholy and evocative.
Shen Xiatong lives and works in Chengdu, China. Recent solo exhibitions have been held at The Hong Kong Arts Centre, Hong Kong, 2008; Shine Art Space, Shanghai, 2007 and Soobin Art Int'l, Singapore, 2007. In addition to group shows across Asia, Shen’s work has been shown at Art Fairs in New York and Miami, and in exhibitions in South America, Europe and the United States.