Leo Gallery Shanghai | Sui Changjiang Solo Exhibition: The Present

Leo Gallery is pleased to present Sui Changjiang's solo exhibition The Present from January 11 to March 2, 2025. Sui Changjiang's art is derived from daily experiences. He specializes in giving seemingly ordinary objects an unfamiliar texture through meticulous observation and visual reinterpretation, revealing layers of meaning that transcend the appearance of things.

In Sui Changjiang's works, the boundary between memory and reality is blurred, creating a subtle yet lasting tension. Using zoomed-in close-ups, he captures overlooked moments from daily life, preserving them as visual “frames” that hold a sense of permanence. Just as selective intake and forgetting of memories shape our self-awareness, Sui’s works freeze and reframe fleeting moments, transforming them into new visual imagery. Through prolonged contemplation, fragments of memory are revisited, magnified, handpicked, gazed, deconstructed, and reassembled into images that go beyond their literal representation.

It is the way of partial representation and magnification of details that prevents the images from revealing their subjects through intuitive narration. Instead, they construct a visual metaphor, in which the depicted objects are endowed with a symbolic function beyond their material form. As a result, the subjects in his works are not simply objects to be observed; they suggest a relationship formed during the act of viewing. As the artist explains, “The reason solitary figures or objects often appear in my paintings is that I choose the first-person perspective. What I see reflects my relationship with the subject I paint.”

The material quality in Sui’s work is not only the foundation for his images but also an essential part of his artistic language. As Sui puts it, “Materials carry my emotions, and I discover their potential, so we collaborate.” In his process, he treats canvas, brushes, and pigments as creative partners, engaging with them through direct, hands-on interaction. Influenced by the traditional Chinese painting, Sui applies techniques such as “Outlined drawing” and “Negative space”, using soft yet firm strokes to delineate his subjects. The natural tone of the linen canvas, left partially exposed, reveals a subtle and warm base, reminiscent of the texture and sheen of Song dynasty silk paintings. By intentionally flattening the image, Sui reduces the sense of perspective in traditional realistic painting, instead focusing on the essence and boundaries of objects. This approach shifts his work toward a state of contemplation and introspection on the nature of existence.