"After humans vanish, the structures made of various materials across the universe will gradually disintegrate, even disappear. The world will ultimately erase all memories of human existence. " —Fleurs XU
BONIAN SPACE is honored to announce the latest solo exhibition, The Clouded Heights, by the artist Fleurs XU, in collaboration with ORACLE ART. The exhibition revolves around "a yearning for absolute freedom and the dilemma of unattainability," showcasing over twenty new works created between 2024 and 2025. Through the construction of hyperreal spatial-temporal scenarios and the juxtaposition of contradictory elements, the artist explores the existential dilemmas of individuals while delving into the dialectical relationship between human civilization and the forces of nature. This exhibition marks Fleurs XU's second solo show at BONIAN SPACE following her first solo exhibition, I Pass Through the Pores of the Lands in 2023. Curated by NING Wen, the Art Director of ARTnews China, the show will run from June 28 to July 27, 2025.
Fleurs XU's works are allegories of the human spirit beneath the surface of nature. Through hyper realistic spatial-temporal constructs of intertwining fire and water, the purity of leafless trees, and the circular symbols of eternal floating, she builds a "floating height" that yearns for absolute freedom while grappling with the contradictions of humanity. Her work repeatedly poses the question: does it truly reach freedom when humanity attempts to shed societal burdens? The answer may lie within those divided spaces of veiled time, reverse-growing suns, and lilies of fire blooming from ashes.
The central theme of Fleurs XU's painting is the dialectical relationship between nature and human civilization. She imagines a world post-humanity, creating a floating "clouded height." This seemingly uninhabited space features natural elements (plants, clouds, water, wind) progressively overtaking human traces (abandoned buildings, etc.), yet these natural motifs metaphorically carry human culture, emotions, and cognition. Natural imagery subtly enacts human identities in works like Gentleman's Poem (2025).
Visually, Fleurs XU's works weave hyperrealistic spatial-temporal layers with a dramatic sense of conflict and contradiction: a longing for absolute freedom (such as trees growing unrestrained) coexists with the acknowledgment that human perspectives cannot entirely transcend their cultural and emotional frameworks. XU frequently juxtaposes fire (light/radiance) with water (flow/splash), creating tension through their coexistence and blending. For instance, in Reverse Phenomena (2024), she deliberately constructs visual contradictions (a sun rising underground) to convey rebellion and rebirth, brimming with dramatic conflict. Similarly, in Shared Branches (2025), the heat of fire and the cold of snow coexist within the same composition, generating a tense interplay of multiple temporalities—not as opposition, but as an invitation to "empathetic perspectives" that inspire new possibilities and nurture life anew.
The "curtain" is a recurring element in XU's work, delineating multiple temporalities and unfolding layers of complex psychological spaces. In Gentleman's Poem (2025), the contrast between the oppression inside the curtain and the release outside symbolizes boundaries between reality and fiction, individuality, and the external world. The "leafless tree" motif is ever-present in XU's new works, embodying the artist's desire to break free from social constraints (family obligations, facades) and pursue uninhibited personal growth, depicted through stripped-down tree trunks. Similarly, the "floating circle," another frequent element, represents inner balance and symbolizes the cyclical nature of life and vitality.
Fleurs XU's works are filled with philosophical reflection, particularly regarding freedom and constraint. Freedom, she posits, is relative—absolute freedom is unattainable. The ideal of "unrestricted growth" (such as inverted trees or leafless branches) is inevitably bound by human thought and cultural constructs. Her exploration of the dialectics of life and death, deeply resonant with ancient Eastern philosophy, is distinctive. For example, in The Long Wait (2025), the fiery lily symbolizes "crisis as an opportunity," where life and death are mutually dependent, and death is a form of rebirth. In Chime (2024), the coexistence of trees and bubbles challenges physical laws, probing the relativity of "permanence and transience."
In her creative approach, XU emphasizes content over visual elements, often crafting narratives rich in symbolic meaning. Her process is typically text-driven: inspired by poetry or mythology, she begins with textual reflections, develops sketches, and transforms these into visual works. Symbolic metaphors are prominent in her art: the fiery lily in The Long Wait (2025) signifies hope amidst destruction; the smoky blue-gray clouds in Shared Branches (2025) suggest transcendence after conflict; and the red tree trunk in Chime (2024) conveys latent energy poised for release.
The layered temporalities in The Clouded Heights offer a "floating" experience in life. XU's work is a rebellion against rules and a relentless questioning of freedom. On a micro level, her paintings reflect the artist's struggle to escape human constraints while confronting the impossibility of fully severing ties with humanity. This duality resonates with tensions between facade and reality, creative restraint and release. On a macro level, it invites us to ponder: what would the world look like after the disappearance of human civilization?
