The Chinese-German artist Su Xiaobai was advised in 2003 by Gerhard Richter to abandon oils and concentrate on his explorations of lacquer, according to Stephen Little, curator of Asian art at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (Lacma). Su took that advice, and now only works in lacquer, sometimes using immense quantities of the tree sap to produce contemplative works that form a bridge between Chinese artistic traditions and European abstraction.
Alchemical Universe at the Palazzo Soranzo Van Axel in Venice features 35 works by Su, from his early lacquer experiments to recent paintings created especially for Venice. One of the collateral events of the Biennale and curated by Little, the exhibition is designed by the architect Kulapat Yantrasast and fills the historic rooms of the 15th century Cannaregio palazzo. The exhibition produced in collaboration with Lacma.
Su Xiaobai in his studio
© Su Xiaobai Foundation, 2026. Courtesy of Su Xiaobai Foundation
Su’s preferred format is square, and his works are formed of layers upon layers of lacquer, sometimes scored or abraded, and then recovered with veils of more lacquer. One room is devoted to a forest of suspended squares, temple tiles lacquered in deep maroon; another displays works on the floor, apparently floating above a “sea” made of mirrored Murano glass. A series of small monochrome works in blacks and greys subtly evoke classical Chinese ink paintings, while others show colour seemingly etching the lacquered surfaces.
As an artist rooted both in Chinese and Western techniques—Su divides his time between studios in Shanghai and Düsseldorf —he melds both traditions, bringing a Chinese aesthetic to Western abstraction. In 2024, a foundation was established to preserve and promote his art. This year, it is launching a Curatorial Residency in Shanghai in collaboration with the University of Southern California’s Roski School of Art and Design, providing annual funding for selected residency candidates.
- Su Xiaobai's Alchemical Universe, Palazzo Soranzo Van Axel, Cannaregio 6099, Venice, 9 May - 22 November 2026