Xu Yang
London

The art defined
The series of works I’m presenting draws inspiration from 17th and 18th century art history, which was often seen via the male gaze. My works incorporate elements of pop culture, the everyday, drag performance, and theatre. With some works using myself as the model, I’m exploring the position of one woman in contemporary society. Utilising traditional oil techniques and colours reminiscent of historical master painters including Gentileschi and Rembrandt, I seek to interrogate the underlying questions within our current society. This medium allows me to engage in a dialogue with history, referencing the past to the present to illuminate broader ideas and contemporary issues. I’m also using symbolism as the lead to reimagine the female gaze and to explore identity as a social construct. Therefore to explore the question Michel de Montaigne raised in the 16th century, how do we interpret interpretation more than to interpret things?
Inspired by Warhol
From the early stage of my career, I have drawn deep inspiration from Andy Warhol. His works critique American consumerism and capitalism by adopting and subverting recognizable imagery. Born and raised in mainland China, I have witnessed firsthand the rapid growth of the Chinese economy and the evolving consumer culture and how it interacts with western influences. My work delves into the idea of constructed identity, drawing heavily from western art history, particularly from the Rococo period but also commenting on current political issues including gender identity, racial identity and class. Like Warhol, I explore the intersection of pop culture and broader consumerism, yet my lens is also focused on the shining dynamic of identity in a globalised world.
Warhol’s works’ frequently referenced ready-made working-class objects such as soup cans and Coca-Cola Bottles has inspired me to explore the banal and overlooked side of everyday objects. Recurring motifs in my practice such as fruits, mirrors, wigs, and flowers act as symbolic and performative aspects of identity. Additionally, Warhol’s “Society Portraits” of influencers and celebrities of his time provokes questions for me: what is social construct and what is class within our society? In a similar vein, I’m exploring those questions using the contemporary tool of social media, to investigate what is contemporary femininity and identity; what is constructed and whether what you see online is real?

Love Conquers
My work is a painted blue French 17th century-styled shoe with a drapery background, painted gesturally in blue. The shoe on the lower right-hand side of the image gives the impression that it was left behind by Cinderella. The purpose of the darker, blue shadow underneath of the shoe was to give it depth and a 3D effect. My work pays tribute to Andy Warhol’s shoe series and has the elements of femininity and Rococo that is a prominent feature in my work. The blue colour is similar to the Warhol design as I want a continued flow of the two images. I chose to work with oil on oil paper to give it smooth brush strokes.
More Art By Xu Yang

Perhaps We are All Fictions in the Eye of the Beholder
Influenced by “Portrait of the Lady” by Angelica Kauffman, the purple symbolises non-binary identity and therefore the breaking boundaries.

Reckoning
The unicorn symbolises hope and the kindness within humanity; I wish to preserve our inner unicorns as we age.

Masked Warrior
The work was created during the pandemic, reflecting my daily struggle for existence and respect as an Asian individual.
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