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Han Xu - The complex feelings of a new China also motivated him to produce a body of mixed-media work based on source materials from his film negative
For many years, "Dynasty" continues to be the theme of the paintings of Toronto-based artist Han Xu. The motifs and icons appear in his oils are his struggles, his investigation and musings on Chinese culture, and its absolute royal power before the recent communist reign.
He also employs the camera to express these feelings. Growing up in Beijing Han felt the rapid rising of economic power in China has overshadowed its history and land. He photographed the Capital city in a period of five years (1995-2000), fearing that as China prospers, many old parts in the city would be demolished and replaced by new structures. The complex feelings of a new China also motivated him to produce a body of mixed-media work based on source materials from his film negatives. In this work, still dominated by the subject of "power", there is no lack of strong personal opinion and satirical sense. In the image of The Temple of Heaven, he superimposed the Chinese characters "yes" three times - the old tradition of bowing to the Emperor's supreme power. In another image, he juxtaposed graffiti with the statue of General Guan Yu (160-219) who had been deified and is still being worshiped by Chinese people today.
Han Xu was trained in oil painting in the Central Arts Institute in Beijing from 1994 to 1996. He emigrated from China to Canada in 2001 and continues his artistic career with painting and photography. His recent work, which consists of photography and video was shown in G+ GALLERIES and Harbour Front Centre in Toronto.
