Xianwei Zhu’s works are characterized by tranquility and a deep meditative power, a longing for untouched nature. In addition to Chinese tradition, his role models and inspirations include German Romanticism, the poems of Hölderlin, and above all the paintings of Caspar David Friedrich.
In his painting, Xianwei Zhu combines the tradition of Chinese Taoist landscape painting with modern abstract techniques, moving confidently between the two contrasting approaches. From abstraction, the artist intuitively opens up areas of color with animated gestures. From these, he stylizes landscapes and allows enigmatic representational details, architectures, and isolated human figures to emerge. Through horizontal strokes, he removes the form and boundaries of the representational surfaces. Color spaces in muted tones of blue and white blur into each other in diffuse clouds, creating a subtle poetic and meditative mood.
Solo exhibitions (selection)
2025
All the World is Green, Westwendischer Kunstverein, Gartow
SV Kunstfoyer SV Sparkassenversicherung, Stuttgart
2024
– In den Flüssen nördlich der Zukunft, Galerie Renate Kammer, Hamburg
– Über dem Nebelmeer, Malperformance, Klosterruine Eldena, Greifswald
– Wanderer zwischen den Welten, Stadtgartengalerie Singen, Kunstmuseum Singen
– Heimkunft, Hommage an Friedrich Hölderlin, Hölderlinhaus, Lauffen am Neckar
– Yun Shou, Caspar-David-Friedrich-Zentrum, Greifswald
– Museum Hölderlinhaus, Lauffen
2023
– Beyond Landscape, Galerie bechter kastowsky, Schaan, Liechtenstein
– Poetische Landscape, Galeire Gilgenmann, Mendig
– The Sun Also Rises, Galerie Kunst-Raum, Essen
– Out in the Open, Galerie Tobias Schrade, Ulm
2022
– Chinese Poets and Daoism, Migrant Bird Space, Berlin
– Great Sound, SV Atrium Galerie, Wiesbaden
2021 In a Landscape, Poly Art Museum, Beijing, China
– In a Landscape, Galerie Schlichtenmaier, Stuttgart
– Alles ist gut, Galerie Vayhinger, Singen
– All the World is Green, Kunstverein Krefeld
2020
– Inner Landscapes, Galerie Kunstraum, Essen
2019
– Zu den Quellen, Städtische Galerie, Wangen im Allgäu
– Wolkenpfad, Galerie der Kreissparkasse Esslingen-Nürtingen
2018
– Rückkehr zu den Wurzeln, Galerie Schrade, Schloss Mochental
– Timeless, Kreuzkirche Nürtingen
2017
– All the World is Green, Riverside Art Museum, Beijing
Beyond Silence, Galerie Kunst-raum, Essen
2016
– Anderswo, Galerie bechter kastowsky, Wien
– Galerie Lan Space, Beijing
2015
– Bewölkte Utopie, Galerie Vayhinger, Singen
– Boot ohne Leine, Galerie Tobias Schrade, Ulm
2014
– Echo of the Void, Böblinger Kunstverein, Stuttgart
2013
– Kaisers Wunderland, Städtische Galerie Ahaus, Villa Van Delden
2012
– Alienation of Affections, Pyo Gallery, Los Angeles, USA
Group exhibitions (selection)
2025 Asian Contemporary, Galerie Kellermann, Düsseldorf 2024 Beyond Landscape, Galerie Kellermann, Düsseldorf 2023 Auf der Brücke, Ausstellung von Werken chinesischer Künstler in Deutschland, Artmuseum Shanghai, TAG Art Museum/ Endless Mountains, Powerlong Museum, Shanghai, China / Eternal Journey Kunstverein Hechingen, Hechingen / MENSCH? Künstlerhaus Lukas, Ahrenshoop / Who’s Afraid of…? Galerie Schlichtenmaier / Ausblick-die Landschaft auf der Brüecke, Kunstmuseum Shanghai, China 2022 Kunst, Leben, Leidenschaft zehn Jahre Museum Angerlehner, Wels, Österreich / Rendezvous mit der Figur, Galerie Schlichtenmaier 2019 HTWL. Der Twiel im Blick. Kunstmuseum Singen 2015 Wiedergeburt der Unsterblichkeit-zeitgenoessiche Kunst aus China, Museum Angerlehner, Österreich 2014 Figuration zwischen Traum und Wirklichkeit, Museum Angerlehner, Oestreich / Kunst gegen Kunst, Offspace, Beijing 2012„ Art Fair Los Angles“ , Los Angles, USA / Landsjubiläum Baden-Württemberg, Städtisches Kunstmuseum Singen
Awards
2018 Franz-Joseph-Spiegler-Preis, Schloss Mochental, Ehingen
2014 Hauptpreis des 28. Kunstpreises der Kreissparkasse Esslingen-Nürtingen
Represented in collections
Staatsgalerie Stuttgart / Sammlung Museum Angerlehner, Österreich / Sammlung Wemhöner, Berlin / Regierungspräsidium Stuttgart / Sammlung des Landes Baden-Württemberg / Kunstmuseum Singen / Sammlung der Sparkassen Versicherung, Mannheim / Kreissparkasse Esslingen-Nürtingen / Sammlung der Stadt Ahaus / Sammlung der Stadt Singen / Kunstmuseum Singen / Museum Hölderlinturm, Tübingen / Caspar-David-Friedrich-Zentrum, Greifswald / sowie in privaten Sammlungen
Born in Qingdao in 1971, Xianwei Zhu is a wanderer between worlds. Between Asia and Europe, China and Germany, representationalism and abstraction.
After completing his studies in Shandong (China), he taught as a lecturer at Qingdao University in China from 1996 to 2000. From 2001 to 2008, Zhu completed further studies in free painting at the State Academy of Fine Arts in Stuttgart. This was followed by teaching assignments at the Merz Academy in Stuttgart and the Technical University of Dortmund. Since 2016, Xianwei Zhu has been a visiting professor at the Yunnan Academy of Fine Arts (China). He lives and works as a freelance artist in Düsseldorf, Stuttgart, and Krefeld.
Xianwei Zhu’s works have been exhibited in numerous museum exhibitions in China and Germany and are included in renowned collections, including the Staatsgalerie Stuttgart and the Collection of the State of Baden-Württemberg.
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