Yellow River: Ye Xue

The Rebecca Hossack Art Gallery is excited to present an exhibition of work by acclaimed Chinese artist Ye Xue. This is the first time that his resonant and spiritually-engaging abstract paintings have been shown in the UK.

Ye Xue has a rich artistic heritage. Born, in 1962, into a well-established family of Chinese folk artists from Shaanxi, on the banks of the Yellow River, in northwestern China, he trained at the prestigious Xi’An Academy of Fine Arts, in the provincial capital. There he rebelled against the orthodox Confucian painting-style, developing an interest in the Western abstract tradition, and a particular passion for the works of Mark Rothko.

Ye Xue's work now draws on both the Chinese and Western cultural traditions. It is pervaded, too, by a profound and personal spirituality – derived from his deep immersion in Buddhist lore and practice.

Using Oriental and Occidental painting techniques and materials in daring synthesis, Ye Xue creates allusive abstract images of great formal elegance and restrained power. To achieve his effects he uses ink-wash, collage, oil paint, acrylic, frottage, and mono-print – sometimes all on the same picture. The results are deeply personal yet universal in their appeal, they explore what it means to be human: our place in the world, our emotions, our interaction with the environment, the inter-connectedness of all things, and the journey toward enlightenment. 

Ye Xue is currently based in Beijing. His work has been exhibited extensively in China, Japan, Australia and the United States, and is held in private collections internationally.