BRUSSELS.- Xavier Hufkens has announced the representation of Chinese artist Qiu Xiaofei. Best known for his evocatively coloured paintings, Qiu draws on both Eastern and Western aesthetics across generations, using memory, allegory, and a dream-like narrative. The artist will be included in the gallery’s presentation at Paris+ par Art Basel this month. In June 2024, Xavier Hufkens will present a solo exhibition of works by the artist.
Xavier Hufkens: “From the very first encounter, Xiaofei’s enigmatic paintings left a lasting impression on me. His works brilliantly combine elements of dream-like reality, the psychological and the uncanny—speaking to deeply personal yet collective sentiments. We are thrilled to welcome Xiaofei to the gallery.”
Qiu Xiaofei: “It felt like Xavier and I were old friends right from the beginning. He’s an outstanding leading gallerist, and I’ve always been impressed by his ability to combine a pioneering spirit with a classical taste. I’m looking forward to our collaboration.”
Drawing inspirations from ancient and modern thinkers, Qiu considers time to function like a spiral. Within his works, he typically incorporates multiple temporal dimensions or layers that result in an enigmatic synthesis. Foreground and background often dissolve to create a sense of infinite and non-hierarchical space. In his continuous exploration of time as such, a spiral is both the source of composition and image as well as a force that informs his style and development.
Qiu Xiaofei is best known for his evocatively coloured paintings that fuse intuitive and playful forms. Using memory, allegory, and a dreamlike narrative, he draws on both Eastern and Western aesthetics across generations. Qiu perceives painting as an interplay between physical sensation and cognitive knowledge, and a call for spiritual energy to gain a deeper understanding of the world. Drawing inspirations from ancient and modern thinkers, he considers time to function like a spiral. Past, present, and future coalesce in a constant state of flux and mutual interaction. Within his works, he typically incorporates multiple temporal dimensions or layers that result in an enigmatic synthesis. Foreground and background often dissolve to create a sense of infinite and non-hierarchical space. In his continuous exploration of time as such, a spiral is both the source of composition and image as well as a force that informs his style and development.
The source of Qiu’s inspirations ranges from personal childhood memories, his hometown Harbin and its geographical relationship with the Soviet Union to compositions in ancient religious art. In recent years, Qiu has started to use traditional mineral colours vastly on his canvas, resulting in an organic texture and a sense of the distant past. His dreamlike and enigmatic compositions often juxtapose abstract and representational elements, embodying the Chinese landscape painting spirit and brushstrokes on the intricate two-dimensional images.
