Xu Hongfei

This June, London plays host to renowned Chinese sculptor Xu Hongfei and his international travelling exhibition as it arrives in the capital following exhibitions in Italy, China, Australia and France.

Recognised as one of China’s leading artists and current president of the Guangzhou Sculpture Academy, Xu Hongfei’s work offers a lively exploration of daily life in China. His interest is in the simple, ordinary, and everyday pleasures in which his subjects find happiness. In his ‘Chubby Women’ series, Xu Hongfei presents women engaging in daily activities and captures a snapshot of Chinese life through their lens. These sculptures are currently being exhibited outdoors in More London Riverside, in front of the River Thames and in close proximity to Tower Bridge and London’s City Hall, bringing a slice of China to an iconic part of the capital.

The female subjects of Xu Hongfei’s sculptures are infused with energy and exuberance. There is an innocent charm to the sheer joy they find in the ordinary, a sentiment that the artist hopes will prove contagious with viewers. His ‘Chubby Women’ are not limited by their size and enjoy active and fulfilling lives walking dogs, meeting lovers, riding bicycles and even skateboarding. Marking a conscious break from traditional European sculpture and its elevation of a narrower type of beauty, Xu Hongfei celebrates a liberating new aesthetic and, in doing so, challenges us to question the notion of beauty in art.

The sculptures have proved popular with audiences worldwide and the touring exhibition has visited locations including Melbourne, Sydney, the National Art Museum Beijing, Tuscany, Sicily, and earlier this year, the Carousel du Louvre in Paris.