Mounting an exhibition comprising some 44 self-portraits might sound like an exercise in narcissistic self-expression; and there are probably artists around the world where this reaction, were they to present such an exhibition, would be justified. However, Lis Xia (Xia Chieng) is most assuredly not one of them. While her work tends to be self-centric, it does so without the more negative demands of ego and most certainly without any connotations of narcissism.
Rather, in being focused on herself, Xia’s self-portraits are reflections of a much deeper, sled-explorative mechanism. One offered through a range of mediums – photography, painting, digital post-processing, drawing and even film, Lis’ art reflects her journey through life, her inner dialogues with self, her desire to reveal to herself the person she actually is and her relationship with the world at large.
In this, Lis’ images – individually and collectively – can be seen as a narrative; a series of stories which are both interwoven one to the next but also standing apart from any contiguous meaning or conceived literally direction. Each image can be appreciated and reflected upon in its own right as a work of art, whilst collectively they embody an existential enquiry which is individual to the artist. True, there are times when Lis chooses to focus on a specific element within her life – such as dealing with her Asperger’s, which formed the nucleus of two exhibitions Lis presented in 2021: Visions of an Aspie (reviewed here) and Assburguer’s Mood Diary (reviewed here), but more often she casts her exhibitions more widely.
I am on personal journey; personal exploration into the essence of the live; the nature of the relationship between my senses, ideas and perceptions and the external world; my conception of space and substance. Only things that are personal can be truly real for me.
– Lis Xia (Xia Chieng)
Such is the case with Portraits of an Obsession, which opened at Hermes Kondor’s Kondor Art Centre in mid-September and will run through until mid-October. Comprising the aforementioned 44 self-portraits, through its title it acknowledges Lis’ fascination with using art to better define who she is and express the truths of her inner nature and perceptions whilst also facing the personal and demons which might strive to deny her the freedom, self-expression and self-appreciation.
In this, Portraits almost follows on – albeit indirectly – from 2019’s Xia’s Diary (reviewed here) by associating each image with a poem or ode, thus allowing the observer to not only witness her thoughts and feelings as expressed through an image, but also ride the train of her thinking and feelings very directly through line and stanza. Thus, we are invited to join Lis in her experience and expression, and allow both to resonate with our own thoughts and emotions, as Lis notes herself:
Images and poetry converge through the use of vintage medium format cameras and expired film. The photographs capture moments steeped in nostalgia and emotion. Alongside these visuals, some illustrations rendered in gouache, ink, and pencil techniques add depth and texture to the narrative. … Through the fusion of visual and written elements, my goal is to convey a deeper meaning or narrative, inviting viewers to interact with the art on multiple levels and awakening their imagination and emotions.
– Lis Xia (Xia Chieng)
Within these images and poems there is a resonance which might naturally, if subconsciously occur even without a deeper exploration of the ideas and feelings Lis presents. Think about how much time we spend tweaking, adjusting, changing, improving it in looks, appearance and appeal; is this not a similar form of self-exploration? Does not the canvas of our avatar allow us, through each adjustment, each change, large or small, help to express what lies within us, enabling us to to find better affirmation of both who we are an who we wish to be?
Through her art – visual and written, Lis has refined this process to a point where not only can we see her own journey, her own experiments and experiences with self – we can witness a reflection of our own. In doing so, we are naturally drawn closer to the work on display, and thus into Lis’ own world; and while we may not come to understand all that is being said we can at witness the beauty of her soul.
SLurl Details
- Kondor Art Centre (Waka, rated Moderate)
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