Collateral Event of The 61 International Art Exhibition of The Venice Biennale
May 9 – November 22, 2026
Su Xiaobai (b. 1949, Wuhan) transforms the ancient medium of lacquer into a radiant, sculptural language. Trained at the Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing and the Kunstakademie Düsseldorf, he bridges Chinese literati traditions and postwar European painting, shifting from Socialist Realist figuration and ink to a material practice between painting and object.
Generous-Green, 2015, 190x182x14 cm
Oil, lacquer, linen, emulsion, wood
These preparations are part of the artist's unique alchemy. While the titles of Su's paintings are often ambiguous, whether rendered in Chinese or English, the images they present are doorways into the complex inner world of a global artist equally grounded in very different cultures, Asian and European.
— Stephen Little, Curator of Chinese Art and Head of the Chinese, Korean, and South and Southeast Asian Art Departments, LACMA
Combining Chinese tradition with European experimentation, Su Xiaobai's work investigates the possibilities of lacquer, turning it into layered, tactile works that explore and reveal depth, materiality, and transformation.
— Michael Govan, CEO/Wallis Annenberg Director, LACMA
At the heart of the Foundation's mission lies a belief that traditional and craft materials can serve as conduits for discovery. In the hands of artists like Su Xiaobai, they open pathways to new forms of artistic expression.
— Scott Stover, Executive Director, Su Xiaobai Foundation
Refreshed-6, 2021, 200 x 200 x11 cm Oil, lacquer, linen, emulsion, wood
ABOUT THE SU XIAOBAI FOUNDATION
Su Xiaobai Foundation was founded in 2024 to preserve, promote and interpret Su Xiaobai's art and archives, and to support initiatives with a focus on his vision and craft. The Foundation seeks to support artists and scholars who share Su Xiaobai's commitment to reviving traditional materials and techniques in the production of contemporary art, through exhibitions, research and international dialogue.
In 2026 the Su Xiaobai Foundation launched a Curatorial Residency in Shanghai in collaboration with the University of Southern California's Roski School of Art and Design. Under this initiative, the Foundation will provide annual funding for one or more residency candidates for new research, selected by USC's Roski School of Art and Design.
Treasure, 2023, 165 x 164 x18 cm Oil, lacquer, linen, emulsion, wood