VIDEOS
"Su Xiaobai: Blue", 2022, 1’59”
Producer: Tina Keng Gallery, Taipei
At the end of 2022, in a world that felt increasingly unsettled, Tina Keng Gallery looked to the shades of blue painted by Su Xiaobai. Through several conversations with the artist, the idea of holding an exhibition featuring blue monochrome paintings took shape, eventually leading to the exhibition titled "Su Xiaobai: Blue." The focus wasn't on the various shades, tones, or dimensions of blue, but rather on the concept of focusing on a single colour.
In 1922, modernist writer James Joyce published Ulysses, and a highly distinctive shade of blue was chosen for the book’s cover. Su Xiaobai and an old friend came across the original edition of the book in Paris and were immediately captivated. The desire to recapture that particular shade of pale blue has driven Su’s artistic creation, yet achieving a blue that feels so warm and alive is still an elusive goal.
This short video was created for the opening of the "Su Xiaobai: Blue" exhibition.
©2022, Tina Keng Gallery
"Su Xiaobai Studio, 2020", 2020, 3’46”
Duration: 3 minutes 46 seconds
Location: 80 Jinyu Road, Shanghai
2020, the year when the COVID-19 pandemic was at its peak worldwide, Shanghai was in lockdown. When Zhang Jun, Su's wife, received an automatically generated video created from photos of Su Xiaobai’s studio, she was surprised at the quality. This video is based on the original automated version, capturing the sense of helpless despair that defined that period.
©2020, Su Xiaobai Foundation.
"Beneath A Descending Moon, Breathing: The Paintings of Su Xiaobai", 2019, 5’26”
Produced by Tina Keng Gallery, Taipei
This film accompanies the exhibition “Beneath a Descending Moon,” featuring a conversation between artist Su Xiaobai and curator Hsu Fong-Ray.
The story of Su Xiaobai—his paintings and techniques—has been documented by countless media outlets. Su responds with this succinct statement: “Leave the storytelling to those who desire it. All I seek is a little light, a subtle undulation on a flat surface, a hint of color, and the gentle flow of movement."
The exhibition “Beneath a Descending Moon” does not propose a narrative; rather, it exists as a curatorial response to the artist’s creative journey, a reflection on light itself as a profound and silent muse.
©2019, Tina Keng Gallery
"And There’s Nothing I Can Do", 2018, 3’44”
Produced by: Hyogo Prefectural Museum of Art, Japan, Keng Art and Culture Foundation, Taipei
This film was created for the exhibition “Timeless Moments.” It investigates the artist's creative process, demonstrating that creation is not confined to the studio or limited to the act of applying paint to canvas. It encompasses the time spent musing, incubating ideas, and letting inspiration take root. The process is filled with chance occurrences; the artist meticulously prepares, yet the images that emerge are ultimately shaped by the passage of time.
As Su Xiaobai once expressed regarding his artistic pursuit: "Leave the storytelling to those who crave it. All I seek is a bit of light, a subtle undulation on a flat surface, a hint of color, and the gentle flow of movement."
©2018, Keng Art and Culture Foundation,
"Su Xiaobai, The Heart of a Great Hermit", 2014, 4’28”
Produced by Jiangnan Buyi, “Hermit” series. Photography: Gianpaolo, Editing: Choco, Music: Shill
Li Lin, the founder and design director of JNBY, has always been captivated by those who quietly dedicate themselves to certain disciplines and ways of life—individuals who, while not fully withdrawing from society, maintain a spirit of independence and silent perseverance. Among them is artist Su Xiaobai, who diligently refines his paintings day after day, as though polishing a raw gemstone. Each artwork oscillates between presence and absence, achieving a return to simplicity.
As part of JNBY's The Hermit series, this video highlights five “media of sharing,” each with their own story: ceramics, paper, music, lacquer, and fabric. These elements are interwoven into the broader theme, each offering a different interpretation of JNBY’s concept of “the hermit.”
©2020, Jiangnan Buyi
“The Dynasty of Colors", 2010, 20’17”
Produced by ZDF in Germany.
Produced by IKS (Institut für Kunstdokumentation und Szenografie) .
Director: Werner Raeune. Photograhpy: Ralph Raeune.
The film features interviews with Su Xiaobai and footage of his art studio and lacquer paintings.
Su Xiaobai’s large-format works combine strict formal and pictorial architecture with expressive color application. He applies layers of rich color varnishes with a brush onto canvas, jute, or wood. The color becomes three-dimensional, forming lines, patterns, and a unique surface structure. The artist intentionally uses color as an independent design element, giving his work an unusually tactile character.
Through his creation of abstract or non-representational images, Su Xiaobai aims for universality that transcends cultural boundaries. Color itself becomes the subject of his work. The resulting image fluctuates between order and passion, harmony and dissonance. Despite the precision possible in painting, these works defy definition; the viewer is presented with endless possibilities for seeing and understanding.