Vanguard Gallery is pleased to present Chen Xingye’s solo exhibition, “Digging…”, opening on September 12, 2024. This marks the artist’s second solo presentation at the gallery. The exhibition showcases Chen’s newly created oil paintings, which continue his exploration of the sensory and aesthetic dimensions of power, previously developed through works on paper. This significant shift to a new medium introduces a more subtle and serene visual tone to his works.

Chen Xingye’s practice often incorporates symbols from popular culture. Drawing on his personal memories, Chen traces cultural and sensory experiences to generate new possibilities at the intersection of the imagined and the real. The result is a series of ambiguous figures, suspended outside of space and time, navigating the elusive boundary between the inner world and tangible materiality.

In the new works presented in “Digging…”, the artist imagines the world as a system, with reality functioning like a game. The bunnies represent the players who navigate this game of reality. These characters are fierce and rebellious, yet also calm and sophisticated, capable of solving any challenges—or levels—they encounter, as if the game is under their control. Whether following the game’s rules, taking cues from the bunnies, or hitting pause for a break, the artist suggests a different approach among the countless ways to play: breaking free from the constraints of the given framework and navigating the system’s reward mechanisms by “digging for gold”.