Gao Xiaowu (高孝午) was born in Sanming, Fujian Province, in 1976. He grew up in a rural environment before pursuing formal art education at the Xiamen Academy of Art and later graduating from the Central Academy of Fine Arts (CAFA) in Beijing in 2004. His transition from the countryside to the city played an important role in shaping his sensitivity toward art and the dynamics of urban society. Gao Xiaowu is also known for his humble character and strong sense of self-awareness.
Gao believes that art belongs to ordinary people. For this reason, he avoids producing works that are deliberately made to appear complicated simply for the sake of seeming intellectual. Instead, he embraces an approach influenced by popular culture. Rather than creating rigid representations of the human body, he transforms his subjects into plump, elastic, and glossy figures. These caricature-like forms often bring a smile to viewers of all ages, from children and adults to the elderly.
One of the reasons Gao Xiaowu’s works are easily accepted and appreciated by the public is that they often function as reflections of ourselves. He does not focus on gods, historical heroes, or grand mythological figures. Instead, his sculptures frequently portray the emotions and everyday experiences of people living in contemporary urban environments.
One of his most notable series, Standard Age, represents the present as a kind of “Computer Age.” According to Gao, the microelectronic revolution has increasingly standardized and formatted the way people think and behave. The broad smile and bowing posture of the figures in Standard Age can be understood as representations of modern workers who remain under constant social pressure.
Another important series, City Dream, features balloon-like bodies with small wings as a metaphor for the conflict between dreams and reality. The figures dream of flying high, yet they must confront the reality of their heavy bodies and tiny wings. Gao Xiaowu expressed this idea through a poem:
“If the dream I had in my childhood when I was in the countryside was the city / then the dream I had dreamt while I was in the city was the countryside / I am busy and tired / I live in the real world.”
From Standard Age and City Dream to Our Generation, Gao’s works are not only rooted in the experiences of ordinary people living in cities, but also reflect his continuous exploration of personal identity. He does not attempt to express grand national ambitions or simply complain about the circumstances around him. Instead, Gao presents his own aesthetic perspective on the world, focusing more closely on the happiness and sadness found in the simplicity of everyday life.
Gao Xiaowu distinguishes himself from many other contemporary Chinese artists by moving away from the language of “Political Pop.” Rather than focusing on political imagery, he places greater emphasis on the aesthetics of ordinary life. Works such as Falling Asleep and Rebirth explore themes of hope, life, and the relationship between human beings and the world around them.
At the core of Gao Xiaowu’s artistic philosophy is the belief that art should remain close to society. His works invite people to interact with them directly while reflecting on human values and the meaning of life. Through this approach, Gao’s sculptures offer not only strong visual appeal, but also a conceptual depth that gives his practice a distinctive position within the landscape of contemporary Chinese art.
