Shao Fan

Shao Fan’s meticulous monochromatic ink-on-rice-paper paintings arise through an intense period of concentration and the slowing down of time. Drawing on the tenets of Taoist philosophy, in which humans and animals coexist in balance with the universe, his subjects range from depictions of hares, monkeys and whales to fruit and vegetables, all of which allude to historical Chinese customs and beliefs. Applying delicate washes of ink in repetitive, precise strokes over an extended period of time, Shao Fan uses the principles and techniques of calligraphic painting, including those from the Song dynasty (960–1279), as well as processes associated with Liangzhu jade art artefacts (Neolithic era), to build up lines and forms that achieve what has been described as ‘temporal alchemy’. In Fruit (2024), abstracted interlocking shapes coalesce to form the contours of a dissected apple, with an acknowledgement of the genre of 17th-century Dutch still-life painting or the sinuous forms of Georgia O’Keeffe’s lyrical, organic imagery. In Chinese Cabbage (2024), Shao Fan’s exquisite depiction of a staple of Northern Chinese household cooking in the winter elevates the subject far beyond its humble status. The acutely observed ripples of soft fur depicted in In the Name of the Rabbit (2020) call to mind the intricate and exacting depiction of a ‘Young Hare’, Albrecht Dürer’s observational masterpiece of 1502.

The appreciation and aesthetics of aging are concepts to which Shao Fan repeatedly returns. Observing that, in Chinese culture, maturity is regarded as an attribute to be exalted and honoured, Shao Fan pursues an examination of ‘living ancients’, be it in the form of an elderly man, Kun (a giant sea creature from East Asian mythology), or an entire natural landscape. As he explains: ‘When I look to the future, it has already dwindled into the past [...] with “appreciation of oldness” I have sought to transcend time, and in doing so, time has been negated and lost its meaning.’ Repetition in subject matter allows Shao Fan to enter a meditative state while creating the work, contemplating the principles of Tao and the distinctions between form, line and tone: ‘Innovation and development have never had the same importance as practising the “Tao” in the smallest details, to condense this specific spirituality over and over again in the form of an image.’

Shao Fan’s profound understanding of Chinese culture and historical antecedents was shaped by his upbringing: both of his parents, professors at Central Academy of Fine Arts China, were renowned artists, and he learnt to paint at an early age. He was also surrounded by examples of Ming dynasty (1368-1644) furniture that his parents collected. As an adult, he located discarded chairs, which he dismantled to understand the way in which the various parts interconnected, then reconfigured the elements to demonstrate the ingenuity of the original forms, independent of their intended function. Combining art and design, sculptures such as Project No 1 (2004) integrate modern materials and forms with ancient materials and techniques to generate new meaning.

Shao Fan was born in 1964 in Beijing, China, where he continues to live and work. Solo museum exhibitions include Het Noordbrabants Museum, Netherlands (2020); Ludwig Museum im Deutschherrenhaus, Koblenz, Germany and Suzhou Museum, China (both 2018). His work has appeared in numerous group exhibitions, including at M+, Hong Kong (2021); Kunstmuseum Luzern, Switzerland (2018); Deichtorhallen Hamburg, Germany (2014); Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Paris (2014); The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (2013); amongst others. In 2008, Shao Fan was the gold medal winner of the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in London for his design ‘I Dream I Seek my Garden’. His work is part of many museum collections, including The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; Victoria and Albert Museum, London; Fukuoka Art Museum, Japan; Centre Pompidou, Paris; National Art Museum of China, Beijing; and M+, Hong Kong.