Modern & Contemporary Chinese Art

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Qiu Xiaofei (b. 1977, Harbin) graduated in 2002 from the Central Academy of Fine Art in Beijing, where he learned traditional painting. His musician friends later exposed him to contemporary art. Qiu’s work focuses on memory and history. The surfaces of his sculptures emphasize a painterly quality and are thus called “sculpture paintings.” The subject is often a toy or other object from his childhood. Qiu explains, “During the early 2000s, Beijing was developing especially quickly. During that time, I would often paint these things from my childhood, as a way to go back in time. [It was] an act of nostalgia, a way to slow down time.” The three sculptures in our collection depict vintage tin train toys, such as the popular Puff Puff Loco.