Xu Bing is a prominent figure in the global contemporary art world, and one of the giants of Chinese contemporary art.  His early groundbreaking re-interpretation of Chinese characters, Chinese calligraphy and printing history, and his engagement with the installation medium, re-defined the way many subsequent Chinese artists approached their aesthetic traditions.  A recipient of the prestigious MacArthur Fellowship, he has shown at numerous important exhibition spaces worldwide, including The New Museum of Contemporary Art, New York, the Joan Miro Foundation in Spain, and the 45th, and 51st Venice Biennials, among others.

This exhibition will coincide with the publication of his new work, Book from the Ground, a book that tells stories through the icons common in our contemporary experience.  This work continues Xu’s longstanding interest in the link between the written symbol and visual communication. The exhibition will highlight the text; showcasing works made in conjunction with the book, and will show previous pieces which reveal the history of Xu’s engagement with these themes.

“Book from the Ground is a novel written in a ‘language of icons’ that I have been collecting and organizing over the last few years. Regardless of cultural background, one should be able understand the text as long as one is thoroughly entangled in modern life.”    – Xu Bing