Xiang Liqing’s photographs are humorous, poetic reflections on China’s transformation, yet they transcend the Chinese context. Besides commenting on urbanization and modernization, Xiang’s work centers on capturing the essence of his surroundings. A photographic series of cramped, nondescript residential high-rises, that nonetheless bear traces of their human occupants, earned him great acclaim in France where it resonated in a society grappling with its own dystopian public housing projects. His “The Second Generation” (2005) series, meanwhile, highlights the world of difference in appearance and outlook between today’s youth and their parents. Equally prolific in installations, sculptures, and paintings, Xiang figures among the most promising artists of his generation in China.
Xiang Liqing’s photographs are humorous, poetic reflections on China’s transformation, yet they transcend the Chinese context. Besides commenting on urbanization and modernization, Xiang’s work centers on capturing the essence of his surroundings. A photographic series of cramped, nondescript residential high-rises, that nonetheless bear traces of their human occupants, earned him great acclaim in France where it resonated in a society grappling with its own dystopian public housing projects. His “The Second Generation” (2005) series, meanwhile, highlights the world of difference in appearance and outlook between today’s youth and their parents. Equally prolific in installations, sculptures, and paintings, Xiang figures among the most promising artists of his generation in China.