“Pure Land” is full of desires to break free from reality; curling up on the ground as one “listens” or “contemplates,” furthermore, expresses that venerating heartfelt sentiment, longing to return to the origin of life and rejoin the innate source of power. However, the drag of being trapped in reality is more real than we thought.  -Mao Xuhui

Since the large retrospective exhibition at Kuandu Museum of Fine Arts in 2017, Soka Art will simultaneously launch “My 2019 - Mao Xuhui Solo Exhibition” during the 2020 Taipei Dangdai. The exhibition begins from January 11th to February, six weeks in total. Mao Xuhui returned to the depiction of human figure in 2019. Setting out from the most primitive individual existence, he intends to convey the earnest veneration and realization of life, nature, and music through the seemingly ordinary and simple human body with introverted and restrained strength. We sincerely invited you to come and enjoy Mao Xuhui’s new series, hoping to lead you to return to the origin of life and rejoin the innate source of power. On January 15th, the day before the opening of Taipei Dangdai, Soka Art will jointly present a wonderful feast of art and wine with a renowned international wine club, Le Club FICOFI. We sincerely invite you to participate in this artistic feast. The party will start at 7 pm. Taipei Dangdai VIP Card is required for entry to the event. RSVP in advance. We look forward to your participation.

For a long time, Mao Xuhui has made a name for himself for giving souls to the depicted objects. However, in recent years, his art has gradually returned to the symbolic style in exploring and depicting the human body. Mao Xuhui believes that “shape” is the most essential existence in artistic creation, and only through tangible forms, we can feel the intangible force. To convey this heartfelt veneration from the depth of life, as well as this inexpressible revelation towards music, he extracted the essence of the human body from modern sculptors Auguste Rodin and Aristide Maillol. He finally found the image of the human body to best resemble his soul. The work, Dedicated to Shostakovich, is to pay tributes to the mastery of classical music. Shostakovich’s magnificent symphony is the lasting light that shines on Mao’s path of creativity, supporting his perseverance in seeking high artistic standards and quality. He offers the highest praise and most profound respect to music with the human body kneeling on the ground listening. Living in a troubled world, he longed for a slice of pure land capable of transcending restriction, returning us to the origin of life to rejoin the source of power. The two figures reappeared in Pure Land No. 2 in a kneeling posture, further intensifies its religious appeal and the soul-transcending state, leading the audience to the faraway place beyond the mundane which Mao is longing for.