He Xiangyu

He Xiangyu (Chinese: 何翔宇; born 1986) is a Chinese contemporary artist based in Berlin and Beijing.

Background

He Xiangyu graduated from the Oil Painting Department of Shenyang Normal University in 2008 with a bachelor's degree. His work has been featured in group exhibitions and public collections worldwide. He was a finalist in the 2014 “Future Generation Art Prize”, a price founded by the Victor Pinchuk Foundation, Kyiv, Ukraine.

Artwork

His art is centered on investigating and engaging with the operating mechanisms and structural relationships of current social systems. He first garnered attention for his large-scale works, such as “The Coca-Cola Project” and “Tank Project”, which explore both objects and symbols from everyday life.

• The Coca-Cola Project: This ambitious undertaking began when he purchased one ton of Coca-Cola at a supermarket. He meticulously constructed a “kitchen” in his studio, conducting numerous experiments and sketching extensively. The project culminated in extracting 40 cubic meters of cooked residue from the Coca Cola, highlighting the transformative potential of seemingly mundane materials.
• Tank Project: Constructed using Italian leather, this monumental piece serves as a commentary on Western materialism and political power. It represents a deliberate inversion of value systems, questioning how objects acquire meaning and reflecting broader cultural contexts.

Influences

He Xiangyu’s artistic vision is deeply rooted in his upbringing during China's period of rapid urbanization and social change. He draws inspiration from thinkers like Walter Benjamin and Giorgio Agamben, whose explorations of history, myth, and the relationship between art and politics inform his conceptual approach.

Achievements

His work has been exhibited internationally at institutions such as White Cube Gallery in London, Zentrum Paul Klee in Bern, Kunstmuseum Luzern, and Ullens Center for Contemporary Art in Beijing. He is recognized as a leading voice within the Chinese contemporary art scene, pushing boundaries of artistic expression and fostering critical dialogue about societal issues.

Historical Significance

He Xiangyu’s oeuvre contributes to a broader understanding of China's evolving cultural landscape and its engagement with global trends. His exploration of materiality, symbolism, and personal experience resonates with contemporary concerns regarding identity, memory, and the impact of historical narratives on present-day realities.