As urbanization advances worldwide, contemporary sculpture has become an integral component of public spaces. Linda Gallery collaborates with renowned Chinese sculptor Gao Xiaowu to present Singapore with “Symbiosis: A Retrospective of Gao Xiaowu”, exploring the relational aesthetics woven between shared human experiences and urban context.
Singapore’s internationally acclaimed “Garden City” ethos resonates profoundly with Gao Xiaowu’s artistic pursuit of humanistic care for over two decades. In 2004, Gao rose to prominence in China’s contemporary art scene with his “Standard Age” series. These works capture the standardized gestures of bowing and smiling that served as portraits of individuals constrained by societal norms, reflecting on the universal essence of human existence across time and space, while reflecting on life’s value.
Rebirth Dragonfly
Stainless steel,Painted
210x150x350cm
2015
Rebirth Dragonfly
Stainless steel,Painted
162x113x145cm
2020
If Gao’s early works channeled personal experiences and emotions, his latest “Rebirth” and “Shared Environment” series, born from his epiphany gained from Buddhist philosophy since 2013, mark a pivotal breakthrough. Gao expands his contemplation of life to embrace all beings. By fusing organic motifs like fish, deer, tortoise, crane, dragonfly, and peach blossoms, he deconstructs contemporary challenges without aggression through a mild and benign approach. His whimsical sculptural language reveals a rational meditation on human-nature harmony, extending an open invitation to “call upon the rebirth of primitive nature”. Profoundly projecting to the Chinese society, the art of Gao now journeys to Singapore.
Drawing spirit from his rural childhood, Gao creates sculptures in which textures, materials, forms, and colors magnify universally recognizable symbols. As the artist weaves diverse sculptural languages to examine life’s interconnectedness, viewer interaction sparks continuous interpersonal dialogues as well as between humanity and nature. Within this exchange lies a marginalized yet vital question: Is modern civilization eroding our innate sensitivity to nature?
Integrating series works from “City Dreams”, “Our Generation”, “British Standard”, “Pet God”, "Rebirth", "Tumbler" and "Shared Environment" , this exhibition traces Gao Xiaowu’s artistic evolution over two decades. Through an intimate engagement with the Singapore community, these works resonate across eras and borders, collectively building an oasis of serenity within the urban labyrinth.