Gong Xu was born in 1986 in Shanghai. He graduated from the oil painting department of the China National Academy of Art in Hangzhou in 2010. He lives and works Shanghai.
Interview Excerpt :
- The size of these works is large and the visual expression is strong. Is the size relative to the subject and the expression of the content?
-Yes. Although size is just a number, there is great difference between large and small scales. I didn’t want to the ancient Chinese figures in my paintings to appear as mascots. Most painters view them like this. I wanted to make these works distinct, more totem-like. A totem is different from a mascot, because these figures are secularized divinities, such as those seen in the Dunhuang frescoes, and the figure of Buddha. On a giant scale these produce a sense of awe. There are similarities between scale used in the East and the West, such as the giant statue of Jesus in Brazil, religious frescoes and so on. In the religious system, we are surrounded by large-scale images. From this point of view, I didn’t want to transform the zodiac animals into cute creatures. I prefer to depict them as per their original states and so this dictated some requirements in size.
-The contradiction and conflict in your works are embodied in the fusion and contrast in Eastern and Western culture. How do you conceptualise this “chaotic” subject in your works?
- My knowledge resources and cultural interests are bidirectional. One comes from my family background. No matter in what city you live, you will be influenced by the traditional concepts of the secular society. School teaching provided me with Western notions, while my Chinese way of thinking was acquired from conventions of daily life. I wanted to create my work in a way that combines both aspects. If I only draw one aspect simply, I think it would lack something and look uncomfortable. This is a natural expression for me. I think it is strange to draw only Eastern or Western subjects. After all, the state of being human is one that intermixes diverse thoughts.
-Do you choose elements on the basis of the narrative you build in your works?
-As a painter, you have to consider what your pictures need. Before drawing a painting, I have read various materials, including the book Junishiko (A Study of Twelve Animals of the Chinese Zodiac) by the Japanese naturalist Minakata Kumagusu. When constructing a picture, I prefer to put the most interesting factors into my works. For example, I always use elements that are neglected by most people, for these new things may stimulate audiences’ curiosity. If people are not familiar with my work, they may think the Zodiac Project presents only traditional images. I intend to create something different, which reawakens people to the ideas embedded in these traditional cultural symbols and motivates them to explore more.
