Xiao Wang is a Chinese artist based in San Francisco, California, focused on figurative realistic paintings. His creations are inspired by cult films, magical realism, and symbolism.
I use dramatic colors and thin glazes to render realistic figures, objects, and scenes that evoke a sense of mystery. I examine cult films, magical realism literature, and symbolist paintings to create imageries of tension and obscurity. These paintings feature characters at uncertain moments, situated in disrupted narratives. In these works, I source from photographs of sites and models, which I digitally manipulate to build “sets” to paint from.
Xiao Wang