Ben Uri Research Unit

Born: 1961 Mianyang, China

Year of Migration to the UK: 1992

Other name/s: Zhongmin Zhou , Xu Zhongmin

Biography

Artist Xu Zhongmin was born in 1961 in Mianyang, Sichuan Province, China. His formative years were significantly impacted by the Cultural Revolution, leading him initially into a career in traditional Chinese theatre. From 1975–81, Xu was deeply involved with the Mianyang Sichuan Opera Troupe, mastering the arts of acting and stage design. This period not only honed his aesthetic sensibilities but also instilled a profound understanding of traditional Chinese artistic disciplines. In 1981, he began formal training at the Sichuan Academy of Fine Arts, where he studied printmaking, painting, and sculpture, prior to graduating in 1987. Upon completing his education, Xu quickly emerged as a leader in the arts community as chairperson of the Ba Di Cao Arts Society. He moved to Beijing and later, in 1992, relocated to England, where he swiftly established an exhibition presence. This move significantly influenced his artistic direction, integrating Western styles with his deep-rooted Eastern techniques. Following a number of group exhibitions in the mid-1990s and acquisition of a work by the British Museum, the new millenium in England was marked by Xu's involvement with the Red Mansion Foundation, a charitable organisation dedicated to promoting cultural exchange between China and England. During this period, under the auspices of the Foundation, Xu’s works were featured in several key exhibitions, including Dream 01 at the Atlantis Gallery, London (2001); Dream 02 at The Bargehouse and The Gallery OXO (2001); and Woodcarving and Installation at the Albemarle Gallery, London (2005).

Xu’s art is characterised by a deep engagement with both the traditional and the contemporary. His early works predominantly utilised Chinese woodblock printing techniques, carving intricate lines into pear wood to create complex cityscapes that reflect both chaos and serenity. These pieces, evoking crowded urban environments, also draw comparisons to the works of M.C. Escher, particularly in their intricate patterning and the surreal, almost claustrophobic depiction of space. In his more recent projects, Xu has been inspired by a range of influences, from Buckminster Fuller’s architectural innovations to the symbolic patterns of Tibetan Buddhist iconography. His sculptures and installations, featuring varied elements such as stainless-steel egg-planets and marching miniature figures, explore themes of repetition and the cyclical nature of life, echoing the eternal human conditions of movement and change. His significant works, including Rotating Mountain, Egg Shape, Tunnel and Cloud, demonstrate his ongoing fascination with life's mysteries and the dimensions beyond our everyday experience. The themes of Walk and Cycle suggest a more contemplative approach to human existence, expressed through circular motions that symbolise the universal journey of life. Xu’s ability to blend cultural identities and historical contexts creates a bridge from ancient to modern times, engaging with themes of devotional practice and contemporary identity. Curator Huan Du has described Xu’s work as a form of ‘fictional Utopia’, which invites viewers into a ceremonial, playful, and dramatically transboundary art form (Cafa website). This aspect of his work visually filters and distills reality to interpret life's mysteries and the 'force majeure' of human experience, encouraging audiences to partake in his visual and conceptual explorations.

Xu has exhibited both nationally and internationally, and his work was showcased in London at the Albemarle Gallery in 2015 and in the group exhibition Present Moment at the October Gallery (2019). Xu Zhongmin lives and works between London and Beijing. In the UK public domain, his work is represented in the British Museum and Priseman Seabrook Collections.

Related books

Edward Lucie-Smith, Xu Zhongmin (London: Albemarle Gallery, 2015)
China Coup: Chen Shaoxiong, Fang Lijun, Liu Wei, Shi Xinning, Xu Zhongmin and Zhou Xiaohu (London: Red Mansion Foundation, 2006)
Nicolette Kwok and Deborah Coates, Dream 2001: contemporary Chinese Art Exhibition (London: Red Mansion, 2001)

Public collections

https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/term/BIOG15750

Related organisations

Sichuan Academy of Fine Arts (student)

Selected exhibitions

Present Moment, October Gallery, London (2019)
Xu Zhongmin, Albemarle Gallery London, Red Mansion Foundation (2005)
China Today, British Library gallery, London (2003)
Dream-02, The Bargehouse and Gallery OXO, Red Mansion Foundation, London (2002)
Xu Zhongmin: Tidal Wave, October Gallery, London (2001)
Work Collected by the Red Mansion Foundation, London (2001)
Dream 01, Atlantis Gallery, Red Mansion Foundation, London (2001)
The Figure in Contemporary Chinese Art, Air Gallery, London (2000)
Transvangarde Exhibition, October Gallery, London (1999)
Two Artist Exhibition, Well Hung Gallery, London (1999)
Hunting Art Prizes Exhibition, Royal College of Art Gallery, London; Newport Museum and Art Gallery, Newport (1998)
Summer Exhibition, Royal Academy of Arts, London (1997)
Dialogue, October Gallery, London (1997)
Work Collected by the Guinness Art Collection, Guinness PLC, London (1997)
Another Province Exhibition, Watermans Arts Centre, London (1997)
Works Collected by the Clifford Chance Art Collection, Clifford Chance, London (1997)
National Printmaking Exhibition, Mall Galleries, London (1996)
Transvangarde, October Gallery, London (1996)
Exhibition of Recent Acquisitions, British Museum, London (1996)
Transvangarde Exhibition, Video Installation and Woodcut, October Gallery, London (1996)
Solo exhibition, October Gallery, London (1995)
Hunting Art Prizes Exhibition, Royal College of Art Gallery, London (1994)
National Printmaking Exhibition, Mall Galleries, London (1993)

Ben Uri archive

Consult items in the Ben Uri archive related to [Xu Zhongmin]