Gallery EXIT presents the inclusion of Lin Xue in The Encyclopedic Palace, 55th International Art Exhibition of Venice Biennale curated by Massimiliano Gioni.

The Encyclopedic Palace will aim to present artists and practices that offer us encyclopedic or cosmological images of the world and works that consider the impossible attempt to capture and organize all knowledge of the world.

Hong Kong-based artist Lin Xue creates infinitely intricate ink works through a meditative and intuitive process. A self-taught artist, Lin insists on marking the canvas with a sharpened twig, as this is the most elemental method. Conceived after extensive excursions in the mountains, his works explore the structures of plants and animal life inhabiting this ecosystem. Natural scenes of minute creatures and vegetation develop into tableaux of mystical beauty. These are worlds that seem to have emerged from a netherworld where organic materials are half-familiar, half-dreamt.

The works on show will be a 152 x 457 cm scroll, one of his largest works to date, and a series of 12 drawings based on a peach stone he found on a hiking trip. Each panel is a slight rotation of the seed and an imaginary magnification of what he observes.

Lin was born in Fujian, China, and currently resides in Hong Kong. His works have been exhibited at the Tokyo International Forum, Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong Art Centre, and Asian Art Museum, San Francisco.

Image: © Lin Xue, Gallery EXIT