John Hurrell – 6 May, 2026

This complex sprawling energetic show presents 42 contemporary artists and collectives from mainland China, focusing more on moving image videos & large subtly kinetic sculpture (a total of 67 artworks) than say conventional popular artforms like painting or prints. It is full of exciting surprises but is pay at the door.

In my opinion, with this—an ‘in your face’, richly decorative, highly patterned, grimace-mouthed, goggle-eyed and extremely ornate, optically convulsive presentation—you get good value for money if you take your time. It is openly sensual with its saturated colours and dense shapes, and highly rhythmic in its treatment of abstracted human or fiery demon forms. Artificial intelligence is often utilized for image construction.

However, some of the so-called ‘tribal’ sculpture I personally find pretty corny (as if a tongue-in-cheek send up, like in The Mighty Boosh) but that’s just me—don’t let that put you off. The moving image presentations projected on walls or monitors showcase extraordinary electronic technologies: just what you’d expect from Chinese whizzkid boffins. 

There is much to drool over. For my tastes the most extraordinary work here is the group of ornate gold-painted ceramic ‘vaginas’ made by Liu Xi, a woman who lives and works in Jingdezhen, Jiangxi Provence and Valencia. Imprinted with complex lace patterns these highly abstracted wall-sculptures look like shallow diamond-shaped trays that appear to be made of shiny metal: spiritual/earthy symbols that are intricate, richly detailed, sensual and sort of tacky, whilst also utterly gorgeous.

Another knockout is Xu Zhen’s towering Eternity — Tianiongshan Grottoes Bodhisattva, Winged Victory of Samothrace, 2014, a fierce critique of the 1920’s looting by the British of ancient Buddhist statues from cave temples in Taiyuan, Shanxi Provence, and also Hellenistic artworks from Samothrace. It features quoting references from three stolen sculptures: reproduced, arranged, stacked and partially inverted as a balancing vertical tower made of two giant carved headless figures.

The curatorial focus of this show is on art made in the post Mao Zedong period that started in the late seventies when art schools and galleries gradually began to blossom and overseas artists started visiting. After an initial time of staunch governmental resistance, and many artists deliberately living overseas in major cities like New York keen to form local collegial alliances, the mood changes in the late nineties when many more Chinese art shows began to internationally tour, and overseas influences within became evident.

There is an awful lot in this fabulous contemporary show to take in, for it requires several lengthy exploratory visits. These are always rewarding, such is its dense layering and expansive interconnecting. And thrilling spectacle. Plus its accompanying illustrated hardcover book is very informative.

John Hurrell

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