Xu Lei's works on display Photo: Courtesy of Zhang Yuyang

Xu Lei's works on display Photo: Courtesy of Zhang Yuyang

Xu Lei's works on display Photo: Courtesy of Zhang Yuyang

The latest exhibition at Beijing's Nanchizi Art Museum focuses on Chinese artist Xu Lei's newest series Epiphany, which draws inspiration from the contact between the East and West. 

According to exhibition curator Sun Dongdong, the title of the exhibition comes from a poem by Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) poet Wang Fuzhi: "Everything in history, be it significant or not, is infused into epiphany." 

Most of the works on display have been created since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. During this dark time of lockdowns across the world, Xu has insisted on harnessing fantastical imagery that juxtapose scenes of "global" civilizations against the systematic knowledge of art from different times. 

"My past works used to be about paradoxes and contradictions. However, maybe due to the times now, I began to look for unity and harmony," the artist said. 

The exhibition is set to run until February 28, 2022.