XIE BEI

Xie Bei’s artistic practice embodies a spirit of freedom that embraces improvisation, spontaneity, and independence. Whether deconstructing natural landscapes, translating social anecdotes into dark humor, or exploring the boundary where reality and dreams overlap, Xie remains deeply rooted in the experiences of everyday life. He blends surrealist imagery with expressionist brushstrokes, engaging in an ongoing dialogue with art history. Fragments of literature, poetry, nature, war, and emotion are forged into an exploration of history’s intricate tapestry. What ultimately appears on the pictorial plane is a rough, seemingly unfinished texture—one that even deliberately exposes traces of fragmentation. These weighty scenes, preserving the outlines of figures, ironically constitute a silent resistance against reality, suggesting that true vitality often lies hidden beneath the cracks of civilization.

The cultivation of this creative approach is inextricably linked to Xie Bei’s early artistic education. His connection with painting began with the most fundamental experience in the studio—sketching from plaster casts and still lifes. Xie graduated from the Oil Painting Department of Sichuan Fine Arts Institute in 1988. Through daily contemplation and sketching, his passion for painting gradually took root. Interestingly, this focus on the concrete did not lead him into closed technical training, but instead gave rise to an open and unique narrative approach. After graduating from art school, he did not immediately embark on a career as a professional artist. Unlike those who had clear goals from the start of their artistic training, Xie experimented with various professions, searching for his place through constant exploration. Throughout the decades, painting has always been an integral part of his life. In 2015, having concluded his years of creative pursuits as a “Beijing drifter”, he returned once again to his hometown of Chongqing. It was precisely these twists and turns that ultimately allowed Xie Bei to express his passion for painting in a more relaxed and candid manner.