Xintong Gao: Whispers of Velocity

September 6 - October 7, 2024
Works
Co-curated by Neil Jiang
Sep 6 - Oct 7 2024

Gao Xintong (born 1998, Liaoning, China) is an emerging contemporary artist known for his paintings that dynamically blend Italian Futurism with Eastern traditional art. He earned both his BFA and MFA degrees from the Academy of Fine Arts of Carrara, Italy, and has since been living and working in Italy. Gao's work explores the balance between movement and stillness, deeply influenced by Taoist philosophy. He has held solo exhibitions at HOFA Gallery in London and participated in numerous group exhibitions and art fairs across China, Europe, and the United States, including at LATITUDE Gallery in New York, AAIE Contemporary Art Center, Paola Raffo Arte Contemporanea, Bonian Space in Beijing, Museo Archeologico Versiliese, Beijing Contemporary, and The New Art Dealers Alliance (NADA).

Gao's work has been featured in Artsy's "Curators' Pick" and "How to Collect Emerging Art" sections. Additionally, his artwork was selected by Artsy curators to be displayed across digital public screens throughout the U.S. Transit System in United States.

Press Release

LATITUDE Gallery is pleased to announce "Whispers of Velocity," the debut New York solo exhibition by Gao Xintong, an emerging artist whose work is quickly gaining recognition on the international stage, co-curated by Neil Jiang. This exhibition showing more than 10 latest paintings by Xintong Gao, introduces Gao’s unique approach, where he deconstructs visual elements and reconfigures them into vibrant, abstract compositions that are rich in color, form, and movement.

 

Born in Liaoning, China, and a graduate of the National Academy of Fine Arts in Carrara, Italy, Gao Xintong seamlessly blends the dynamic, forward-looking energy of Italian Futurism with the fluidity of Eastern artistic traditions. Italian Futurism, known for its celebration of speed, technology, and motion, profoundly influences Gao’s exploration of movement and dynamism in his work. His compositions capture the essence of motion, echoing the Futurists’ fascination with the rhythms of modern life, while integrating the spontaneity of expressive brushwork.

 

Central to his art is the idea of balance, where the spaces between forms hold as much significance as the forms themselves—a concept rooted in the Taoist philosophy of "wu wei," which speaks to the harmony between action and inaction.

 

Gao’s work draws from both Western and Eastern artistic traditions, from the groundbreaking techniques of Picasso and Boccioni to the timeless beauty of Shan-Shui 山水, the classical Chinese landscape painting tradition. As an artist from China now creating within the Italian art scene, Gao’s practice becomes a fusion of these cultural influences. His use of bold color and layered transparency conjures abstract images that, while non-representational, evoke a sense of the human presence and invite contemplation on the deeper, unseen aspects of existence.

"Whispers of Velocity" also delves into Gao’s innovative interpretations of the Dunhuang frescoes, a series of ancient murals in China’s Mogao Caves known for their flowing forms and spiritual depth. Gao reimagines these historical artworks through a modern lens, using bold colors and abstract lines to create a dialogue between the ancient and the contemporary, the Eastern and the Western.

Taoist concepts like "Qi" (the vital energy) and "Yin-Yang" (the balance of opposites) are central to Gao’s work. His paintings are a dynamic interplay of movement and stillness, where every brushstroke is a manifestation of energy and the spaces around them speak just as powerfully. This reflects the Taoist belief in the importance of balance and harmony.

 

"Whispers of Velocity" is a demonstration to Gao’s ability to bridge the old and the new, the seen and the unseen. His skillful use of color and form invites viewers to explore a continuum that challenges perceptions of both historical and contemporary art.

 

Gao’s paintings offer a moment of pause, encouraging reflection on the interplay between the material and the spiritual. Through a careful balance of gesture and space, his art explores the hidden forces that shape both the visible and invisible worlds. His practice is a conversation between what is revealed and what remains hidden, between movement and stillness, between brushstrokes and the voids they leave behind.