Ah Xian

Ah Xian (born 1960) is a Chinese-born artist based in Sydney, Australia.

Early life

Ah Xian was born Liu Ji Xian, in Beijing, China, in 1960. While both of Xian's parents worked at universities, Xian worked as a mechanical fitter and in a factory. Xian taught himself how to paint, though at one point was jailed overnight by the Chinese Communist Party for producing nude paintings. He adopted the name Ah Xian in 1983.

In 1989, Xian travelled to Australia to visit the University of Tasmania. He briefly returned to Beijing, but did not stay as the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests and massacre on 4 June motivated him to leave China. Though his application was initially rejected in 1989, he was granted residency in Australia in 1995.

Art exhibitions

Metaphysica (2007). Metaphysica includes a series of bronze busts. Each bust is different from the rest in that there is a different object on the head of each bust. Xian chose the objects individually as each of them referenced Chinese mythological or historical belief systems. Naturephysica (2016). Similar to Metaphysica, Naturephysica features a series of busts with objects on the heads of the busts. However, Naturephysica differs from Metaphysica in that instead of featuring objects that reference Chinese mythology or belief systems, Naturephysica features more natural objects, such as plants and animals, on the tops of the heads of the busts.

Other exhibitions

Ah Xian has held several other art installations aside from the ones mentioned above. Ah Xian, Herbert-Gerisch-Stiftung, Neumünster, Germany (2009) Ah Xian, Gemeentemuseum, the Hague, the Netherlands (2008) Ah Xian, Queensland Art Gallery, Gallery of Modern Art, Brisbane (2003) The Art of Ah Xian, Asia Society Museum, New York, United States (2002)

Group exhibitions

In addition to holding many of his own installations, Xian has also participated in a series of group installations with other artists as well. In 2009, he won the final Clemenger Contemporary Art Award from the National Gallery of Victoria. He was awarded the prize of for his work, Concrete forest. In 2014 Ah Xian was included in the 2014Art Gallery of South Australia: Dark Heart, curated by Nick Mitzevich, director of the Art Gallery of South Australia.