Imbuing spirituality into timeless, apocalyptic landscapes - brightened by hope.
Jia Aili’s cinematic compositions depict arid landscapes alongside futuristic architectural forms, conveying both hope and anxiety about our increasingly technological world. Best known as an oil painter, his dramatic palette uses Caravaggio-esque chiaroscuro, pairing dark greys, blues and blacks against bright white brushstrokes. Driven by emotion and experimentation, process is fundamental to his work. In Mountainand Wave Line (2020), for example, a tranquil mountain range reminiscent of Caspar David Friedrich is encased in a white, free-standing frame. In front of the canvas is a sheet of...
Bio
Despite maintaining a studio in downtown New York, Jia Aili is based predominantly in Beijing, China, where he was born in 1979.
Movements
He is one of a new generation of Chinese artists, reared in the post-Mao Zedong era, who are known for eschewing the overtly political themes of previous generations in favour of merging classical Eastern modes of art-making with their own contemporary issues.
Did you know?
Recent years have seen his practice shift from darkly theatrical scenes to more colourful, intensely abstract works which have steadily increased in scale, with some canvases taking several years to complete.