Reflection & Refraction – Contemporary paintings by talented contemporary Chinese artist Cao Xihui celebrates his first solo exhibition in Singapore. Featuring 11 paintings inspired by the scrutiny of human
behaviours today, this exhibition captures the idea of artist own perspective on modern society. 

Cao Xihui’s application of realistic water droplets is prominent and significant throughout his works. Each water droplets are pseudo magnifiers, engaging voyeuristic opportunity to peer into humans most
vulnerable and innate form, this juxtaposition of human form or objects and fluid quality of water droplets also translates a sense of impermanence and diversity of individual human characteristics.

Cao Xihui unique ways of presentation reveal the questions of the existence of good and bad, happiness and sadness. Using the visual as a narrative for his ideology, his works are marked by two distinctive subject elements: water flow on glass and human thoughts and expression. Instead of pursuing a conventional aesthetic of the beauty of human, the subjects seem to be hidden behind the water flowing glass; which creates a visual effect that distort, reflect and refract the subject matter. Seems like living in the virtual space, separated by a thin layer of
glass which is not clear on which side of the glass, creates an imaginary space that allow viewers to interpret. His works explore into the innermost depth of human being including himself, realizing that the original purity of human being has increasingly been blurred and people are more uncertain and unclear about themselves. Isn’t it that everyone is trying to find their true self?

Born in 1980 in Liaoning Dalian, Cao Xihui graduated with a Master Degree in Lu Xun Academy of Fine Arts. He shows immense talent and potential and has participated in several group exhibitions across China.