BEI JIAXIANG
BEI Jiaxiang is a renowned contemporary Chinese artist specialising in Imagist painting, born in Shanghai in 1953 from the distinguished "BEI Family of Suzhou" — a lineage shared with celebrated architect Ieoh Ming Pei. After graduating from Shanghai Normal University's Fine Art Department in 1976 and completing advanced studies at the Central Academy of Fine Arts, BEI established himself as a significant voice in Chinese contemporary art. His oil painting Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow won the Outstanding Work Award at the 6th National Art Exhibition and was later exhibited at China Art Museum's landmark 40th Anniversary of Reform and Opening Up show.
In 1991, BEI immigrated to Australia, where he deepened his practice by blending the spirit of traditional Chinese literati painting with Western Expressionism. This fusion — marrying Eastern freehand aesthetics with bold, emotive individualism — defines his distinctive pictorial language. His celebrated series, including Galloping Horse, Old Shanghai, and Opera Figure, have been exhibited across Japan, South Korea, China, and beyond, with works held in collections at the China Art Museum, Shanghai Art Museum, and Australian Telecommunications Company, among many private and institutional collectors worldwide.