BEI Jiaxiang, an explorer freely traversing between Eastern and Western aesthetics. His creations transcend resemblance, pointing directly to the soul—bestowing awe-inspiring visual expression upon memory, time, life, and all intangible things.
Present the weight of sensation beyond form and color.
About Bei Jiaxiang
Bei Jiaxiang is a renowned contemporary artist in Chinese imagist painting.
BEI was born in Shanghai in 1953 and hails from Suzhou, Jiangsu Province. His family, known as the “BEI Family of Suzhou”, has been regarded as a prestigious clan for over a century. The family shares lineage with the renowned contemporary architect, Mr. Ieoh Ming Pei.
In 1976, BEI graduated from the Fine Art Department of Shanghai Normal University, which was the highest art institution in Shanghai at that time, and he became a teacher there after graduation. In 1984, BEI completed the first advanced training course held by the top art school in China, the Central Academy of Fine Arts. From 1984 to 1991, BEI taught in the Fine Art Department of Shanghai Normal University as an associate professor and became one of the first young teachers to be promoted to this position after the Cultural Revolution.
While teaching, BEI’s oil painting Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow received The Outstanding Work Award at The 6th National Art Exhibition and The First Prize in The “1984-1985 Oil Painting Works” category held by the Shanghai Federation of Literary and Art Circles. This painting was featured on the front page of the influential national newspaper The Guang Ming Daily. Later, this piece was also showcased as a significant work in The 40th Anniversary of China’s Reform and Opening Up art exhibition held by the China Art Museum, and it went down in Chinese art history for its vivid and symbolic depiction of the intense thirst for knowledge among a generation of young people after the Cultural Revolution. In 2021, to commemorate the restoration of the Chinese National College Entrance Examination, this piece reappeared in the public eye as the cover of Oil Painting, a national first-level art academic journal in China.
In 1991, BEI immigrated to Australia. During his time there, he frequently visited the Melbourne Museum to study the works of world-renowned masters and focused on infusing the spirit of traditional Chinese literati painting into contemporary Western oil painting, with the hope of adding new spiritual and conceptual depth to contemporary oil painting. While in Australia, BEI’s works received awards such as The Gold Award at The Robert Art Exhibition and The Excellent Award at The Campbell Art Exhibition.
Despite spending over twenty years living in Australia, BEI’s artistic creation has always been deeply rooted in the cultural heritage of traditional Chinese aesthetics. Starting from the composition and form of the image, BEI blended Western expressionism, which emphasises individuality and emotional release, with the freehand brushwork from the East, which focuses on subjective spiritual activity, achieving a unified language of modern painting with such fusion. BEI captivated the art world with series such as the Galloping Horse, Old Shanghai, Colour Realm, Opera Figure, Shanghai Dialect, Fan and Ink Opera Characters. BEI’s works have been represented by galleries in Australia, the United States, Japan, South Korea, and China (Shanghai, Taiwan, Hong Kong), and have been exhibited in solo shows in Japan, South Korea, and China. His works have also been widely collected by various art institutions, galleries, and private collectors, including the Australian Telecommunications Company, the China Art Museum, the Shanghai Art Museum, etc.
After years of pioneering creative practice, BEI has developed into a skilled artist. Nevertheless, he continues to push himself and explore new paths, leading to a constant outpouring of fresh creative energy. Over the past two years, with his passionate, romantic, and free-spirited individualistic approach to oil painting, BEI has firmly grasped the essence of art to convey his inner experiences. He has succeeded in pioneering a new painting language with more abstract and contemporary characteristics, showcasing the unique aesthetic pursuit of contemporary Chinese oil painting in the exploration of artistic expression.
Auction Records
July 7, 2019: Two floral oil paintings by Mr. BEI Jiaxiang, a leading figure in Shanghai Imagism oil painting, were sold at the 2019 Spring Contemporary Art Auction at Shanghai Auction House Co., Ltd., achieving hammer prices of ¥230,000 and ¥552,000, respectively.
June 4, 2021: At Poly Auction Beijing 2021 Spring Art Auction—Contemporary and Modern Art Dedicated Sale, Mr. BEI Jiaxiang’s oil painting Fragrant Bloom of Mr. BEI Jiaxiang, a leading figure in Shanghai Imagism oil painting, started at ¥500,000 and achieved the hammer price of ¥2.07 million.
Exhibitions and Awards
1983: Oil painting "Four Cyclists" exhibited in the Shanghai Art Exhibition, now held as Shanghai Art Museum collection.
1984: Oil painting "Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow" awarded the Third Prize at the 6th National Art Exhibition; now held as Chinese Art Museum collection.
1985: Oil painting "Crossing" exhibited in the "Art Works of Progressing Chinese Youth", Shanghai.
1986: "Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow" awarded the First Prize in oil painting category at The 1st Shanghai Literature and Art Exhibition.
1991: Awarded Gold Award at the Robert Art Exhibition, Australia.
1991: Awarded Excellent Award at the Campbell Art Exhibition.
2001: Solo Exhibition in Japan.
2003: Solo Exhibition at SILKLAND Gallery, Ginza, Tokyo.
2013: Solo Exhibition of Ink Human Figure Exhibition at Shanghai Meibo Art Museum.
2014: "Boldness"—Solo Exhibition of Oil and Ink Works at Shanghai Meibo Art Museum.
2014: Participated in The 18th Shanghai Art Fair.
2015: Participated in The Belt and Road Nation's Art Exhibition (Chasing Dreams: Busan)" in South Korea.
2015: "Imagism" —Solo Exhibition at Shanghai Meibo Art Museum.
2015: Participated in The 19th Shanghai Art Fair.
2016: "Memory" —New Oil Series Exhibition at The 20th Shanghai Art Fair.
2017: "Chasing the Wind"—Solo Exhibition at Shanghai Meibo Art Center.
2017: "Chasing the Wind" —Solo Exhibition at The 21st Shanghai Art Fair.
2018: "Surprising Rhythm: 'Opera Eyes'" —Oil Painting Exhibition at The 22nd Shanghai Art Fair.
2019: "Us"—Teacher and Students Exhibition at Shanghai Meibo Art Museum.
2019: "Color Realm" —Oil Painting Exhibition at The 1st China International Import Expo (CIIE).
2019: "Surprising Rhythm: 'Opera Eyes'" — Oil Painting Exhibition at The 2nd CIIE.
2020: " Shanghai Echo" —Oil Painting Exhibition at The 2nd Belt and Road Nation's Art Exhibition, Shanghai.
2021: "Time Retuning: BEI Jiaxiang Encountering Zhang Yuan—Art Exhibition" at Shanghai Zhangyuan.
2021: "Vogue Sea: Old Shanghai Themed Art Exhibition" at Shanghai Meibo Art Museum.
2022: "Galloping into Autumn" —Horse Series Exhibition at Shanghai Meibo Art Museum.
2023: "Surprise Dream" —'Surprising Charm' Series Art Exhibition at Shanghai Meibo Art Museum.
2023: "Impression Shanghai"—Art Exhibition at Art Shanghai International Art Fair.
2023: "Harmonic Light and Shanghai Heritage"—Art Exhibition at Shanghai Peace Hotel.
2025: "Ink Force in Flow—Breakthrough & Replenishment of BEI Jiaxiang" at Shanghai Meibo Art Museum.
