Different from the concern of OCAT Shenzhen on international exhibitions of art and exchanges, OCAT Xi’an which officially opened by the end of 2013 is committed to render and promote contemporary Chinese art with international standards while supporting a variety of projects of cultural communications based in Xi’an. “About Painting” is the second exhibition curated by Ms. Karen Smith, Director of OCAT Xi’an, from “Calligraphy II” at the end of 2013 to “About Painting” in early Spring of 2014, she hopes to bring more contemporary art with clues and narrations close to local audience, to this famous cultural city with a long history of art but comparatively concern for contemporary art.

The Works by these six artists with their separate video interviews are distributed in six relatively independent spaces in the three floors of the art space. Each of them has utilized their individualistic language to create their own style, present their narrative, individual experience and broader view of the world with different ways. When speaking of “About Painting”, each of them has a different interpretation: Zhao Gang has brought his large-scale abstract works to this exhibition, conveying his opinion that “the essence of painting is very original” with “carnival” colors and atmosphere; Duan Jianyu has embedded her work with her in-depth thinking on reality, on art and painting, as she has thought “painting nice things is kind of rest and decadence?” These seemingly rustic sceneries embodies realistic symbolism and irony; when talking about his painting, Wang Yin frankly admitted that he was deeply influenced by paintings from the Soviet Union, thought painting for him was a foreign language, but he paid special attention to establishing aseptate experience between his painting and his form of sense. With sincerely delicate strokes, he continued with his exploration into the forms of painting; Qiu Ruixiang is a restrained and persistent painter, when it comes to painting, he honestly confessed that, “painting is still very important, at least in my life...painting is the way closest to my mind.”Among his images with great tension, solemn figures revealed a massive sense of history which is so thought-prov aking in today’s impetuous world, how to adhere to painting? What kind of spiritual strength will paintings bring to us? : Jia Aili supplied nearly twenty pieces of work and related documentary occupying the ground floor. His works show much attention to the current political and technological issues, emphasizing on individuals’ mental and Independent wills, as he described “painting is a kind of exploration, which should not be trapped in the predicament of art history, instead it should be spiritual transcendence.”; Li Shura showcased her “Invited to Watch” with “l(fā)ight and space”, breaking the limitations of painting. She created on the walls and glass doors in the second floor gallery. It initiate the sensitivity of audience, inviting them to face with the force of painting. Invariably, their paintings expressed a range of emotions, whether they are serious, chaotic, misty, or humorous, they excavated the nature of painting materials with their unique styles.