Chinese, b. 1972 Quanzhou, Fujian Province, lives and works in Quanzhou.
Su Shangzhou has worked extensively in art education and has, through this experienced, developed a clear understanding of the important of art and culture in society. Through art viewers can experience aspects of life, death, spirit, soul and religion as well as enjoying the pure, perfect aesthetic pleasure of his works.
Made of traditional rice paper and by means of colouring, tearing, folding, and collaging the papers in layers Su Shangzhou has developed a sort of deconstruction as a way of constructing new ink works. As this is an elaborate, handcrafted process, each centimeter of his work takes considerable time to complete.
The Supremacy series is Su Shangzhou’s most well known rice paper works. However, the works presented in this exhibition mark a critical moment in the artist’s practice. Quanzhou, Su Shangzhou home, is also the site of China’s biggest stone quarry. The artist became fascinated with the lines and rhythm he found in the harmonic patterns of stones he was able to collect in his local environment. The artist combines these harmonic discoveries with his artistic practice and, in turn this has led to a new body of work titled Supremacy, Harmony – an important connecting series.
Su Shangzhou’s practice is situated between painting and installation, two-dimensional and three-dimensional. His works are exhibited in China, Singapore, France and Germany.