The Humor and the Dissatisfaction in Standard Age

Written by Lu Xiao-Yu / Université Paris VIII (Ph.D)


Flowing lines, fluid bodies and whimsical faces, these are the words for describing Gao XiaoWu’s sculptures – the easiness and the effectuality. His work has escaped traditional sculpting (chiseling and carving). Instead, Gao molds and casts his sculptures and has introduced a new point of view in arts.

Upon the arrival of the 21st century, globalization has grown expeditiously. Art interactions have become so fiercely rapid and prevalent across the globe. How does a 1970-born artist from China survive this overwhelming current without drowning? How did Gao XiaWu set the tone as an artist in this time of day? The answer may lie in the words of the Cuban art historian and curator, Gerardo Mosquera. In his book, “Islas infinitas: sobre arte, globalización y cultura’, Mosquera talks about how to keep cultures alive in the active sector of a society and how to find solutions to issues. In order to do those, we should not remain in the restraint of past traditions. Rather, we should instill traditions in the new age; not to preserve but to adapt. The challenge is how we motivate contemporary art with the values, sensibility and concerns we have.
Gao XiaoWu’s work carries the “installing traditions in the new age’ quality - he expresses arts in a traditional but contemporary manner. It’s a clash of cultures happened in China along with other transnational cultures. In this day and age when consumerism takes the supremacy and capitalism teaches us to put customers first, taking apologetically bows and awaiting orders become the customized mask all white-collar workers wear. In the collection, “Standard Age” (2004-2005), mortals submissively bend their bodies; wear the same complied uniform, the forced smile and the squint eyes so the hospitality is met with consumers’ superficiality. Gao’s observant humor meticulously portrays the unnatural unification of the facial expression in our society and friendly evokes us: is a smile with no sincerity still a smile? Or are we standardizing and superficializing the basis of a human emotion like the sculptures in Standard Age? Additionally, Gao also summoned a scene in the past and recreated it with a sentiment of the modern. In “Forbidden City”, faceless government officials in their loose surcoats pace in synchronicity; the indifference of their identity and the same ghost-esque suspension of the sleeves tell the story of conformity in the society then and in the society now. “Forbidden City” is the connotation of the “Beijing drifting” phenomenon where the youth from outlands of China move to Beijing to be in the trend but in the process, forget their characters.

The 2006 collection, “City Dreams” explores the issue of how individuals have the drowning dream of swimming upwards in the modern climate. With their baldness, roundness and shortness of limbs, these obese infant-like figures put up their arms and legs in hope of grabbing onto something - their invisible dreams. Are they ascending or are they falling?

To keep the pace of the same humor, Gao further introduced caricatural elements in the “Our Generation” collection. The impossible flower like fingers in “Thank You”, the disproportionately long standing of hands in “Oh Yeah”, and the extravagant enlargement of hands in “No” - these sculptures, made of stainless steel, reflecting art spectators in distortion. Seeing themselves on the surfaces of the artwork instills an interactive form for art appreciation and it has become a part of the essence of Gao’s work.

Despite the choosing of bronze for material, Gao manages to keep his work feeling buoyant rather than showing the denseness and the heaviness of bronze. His sculptures have high adaptability to their surroundings; they can be displayed in public/private spaces or even in forests/bushes. Gao’s art can easily augment the ambiance of its environment and immerse into the chatters and conversations around.

Walking away from the imaginative world, Gao XiaoWu still frequents the life of mortal living. In the 2007 collection, “Falling Asleep”, featuring athletes, couples, Cupid, white-collar workers, entrepreneurs, police officers and nurses, depicts a moment in our daily life when we all go to sleep. It’s the drooling on the face and the slipping away of minds; the physical body melts away and stops instantly as the minds are no longer present and have escaped into dreams.

Dance between reality and imagination, tradition and contemporary - Gao’s work has the juxtaposition of contradictions. The permeation of “what’s new and what’s not; what’s real and what isn’t” is implemented in the collection “Discrepancy”. Sculptures of a zen-looking monk immersive meditating on a downward spiral screw signifies a fusion of disparity. Gao expressed the issue in “Zhi Ru” Project as well. He scattering planted white miniatures of the sculpture around the greens of the grass and imbued life into the frigid windows and structures around; he used his art to induce culture and humanity in this technologically advanced world. Gao’s values of a green environment are also discussed using animals in later collections such as “Pet God” and “Rebirth”.



Coming face-to-face with Buddhism in his journey of life, Gao XiaoWu was given the opportunity to reflect on life itself. He has since embraced the view of how all living things are created equal and arts should be the medium to bring forth fundamental beauties in life. “I believe life is wondrous; it is endless and continuous. Every end is a new beginning of another life - life comes in full circle.” said Gao. And in that mindset, he gave birth to the collection “Rebirth” in 2013 - it’s a sculptural series featuring chrome-plated stainless steel in forms of fish (carp, Asian arowana, clownfish and globefish), tortoises, frogs, dragonflies, bees and even deer. All the animals have a part of their bodies transformed in vibrant and vivid colors. It connotes the belief that all life has its purpose and possesses unique beauty - it’s just a transition in perpetuity.
A drop of water never comes to an end. It travels, defines and exists - it never becomes none. Like all living things in the world, we may be an individual entity and we may be overwhelmed by changes but when we connect and when we love - we exist.

“Accepting impermanence, living in the Now and respecting all living things” - these are what Gao XiaoWu inspires in his work. The caricatured style and sarcastic humor are his playful but acute reflection and criticism of the society. Gao’s art is more than a visual stimulation - it’s his tool to give back to nature and “rebirth” it.