-Footprints of Civilization- Yang Yexin’s solo exhibition explores artistic thinking under the collision of Chinese and Italian cultures

On October 27, 2023, in Shanghai, renowned artist Yang Yexin shared intriguing insights during a recent interview about his upcoming solo exhibition in Rome. “You ask me why I buy rice and flowers? I buy rice to sustain life, and I buy flowers to have a reason to live,” he explained. This profound statement sets the stage for a cultural dialogue between China and Italy, as curator Alessandro Masi opened the exhibition with a quote from an Eastern proverb.

Yang Yexin’s exhibition, titled “How Far Can Human Civilization Go?”, marks the first solo show of a Chinese artist at the prestigious Ulysses Gallery in Italy. Featuring over 20 artworks, including the “Traces,” “Silent,” and “Grains” series, the exhibition also introduces four new pieces that delve into contemplations on the future of Sino-Italian civilization.

One of the spotlight artworks, “How Far Can Human Civilization Go?”, consists of two large clocks. One clock is calibrated with the shoe soles of ordinary Italians, representing “Roman Time,” while the other features the shoe soles of a typical Chinese person, signifying “Beijing Time.” Through these common elements, the piece reflects the arduous journey of both nations from ancient times to the present, raising questions about the sustainability of human civilization amidst the current global turmoil.

Another compelling part of the exhibition is the series titled “The Traces I Leave on This World,” which emerged in the context of the 2024 global flood year. Yang Yexin collected items left behind by victims of natural disasters and used them as inspiration for his oil paintings, allowing viewers to experience the feelings of helplessness and isolation faced by humanity in the wake of such calamities.

As a significant representation of Sino-Italian cultural exchange, Yang Yexin’s exhibition, “TRACES OR TRACK,” highlights the new dimensions of contemporary Chinese art. Alessandro Masi, Secretary General of the Dante Society of Italy and an art critic and historian, noted in the exhibition catalogue, “The work Yang Yexin has created over the years has profoundly moved me. The moral messages he conveys—both in style and theme—resonate deeply. His art is provocatively strong, which is exactly his aim, and indeed, the aim of contemporary art.”