The Body of Void

As a Generation Z artist, Wu profoundly experiences the radical shift from globalization to the post-pandemic era. This cinematic transformation and pervasive uncertainty make it difficult for individuals to distinguish between the real and the perceived, leading him to render various states of chaos derived from these lived sensations onto the canvas. Likewise, anthropomorphic organisms recurring in his works retain human-like traits, while figures composed of virtual materials navigate contradictions between self and societal forms within the unique spatial systems constructed by the artist. Set against brutalism-inspired backdrops, these elements are juxtaposed to form the distinct aesthetic Wu Linghao seeks to express.

Wu Linghao excels in constructing futurist lines and employing mechanical compositions to engage the viewer. This deliberate approach to composition serves as a method to provoke reflection, while simultaneously creating a self-mocking humour that contradicts sensory expectations. Conceptually, this structured sensibility also signals Wu's intent to pursue interdisciplinary creation, ultimately contributing to his unique artistic language. The figures that appear in these works are not without reference; inspired by works such as A Clockwork Orange and Full Metal Jacket, Wu reinterprets the distorted gestures characteristic of Francis Bacon's iconic paintings, re-creating them within his own visual narratives.

Influenced by film and literature, Wu Linghao approaches painting as a form of directorial practice. The distinctive worlds within his pictures represent systems the artist aims to establish—a kind of mirror-like mechanism for reflection, preserved through the act of viewing.

Wu Linghao

Born in Fuzhou, Fujian in 1997, he graduated from the Second Studio of the Oil Painting Department at Tianjin Academy of Fine Arts in 2020 with a Bachelor's degree. He currently lives in Shanghai, China.

Solo Exhibitions

2024, "Crimes of the Future", BLANKgallery, Tokyo, Japan;

2023, "Hinterland @ Through Stomach Surgery¿ ¿Table Soaked //// Blue", SIMULACRA, Beijing, China;

2022, "Emotion Algorithm", Hua Art Space, Beijing, China;

2021, "If they give you the paper with lines on, don't write on the lines", 55gallery, Shanghai, China;

Group Exhibitions

2024

"HumanScapes", BLANKgallery, Shanghai, China;

"Era of Encore", Beijing Dangdai Art Fair and Beijing Times Art Museum, Beijing, China;

"Screen Depth", Guangdong Contemporary Art Center, Guangdong, China;

"Wukang Drying Field", E.SCAPE, Shanghai, China;

2023

"Primordial Dream", BLANKgallery, Tokyo, Japan;

"Liquid Metal", Part group, Shanghai, China;

2022

"A new interface", The young artist residence program of Sichuan Fine Art Institute invitation exhibition, PAC Art Center, Tianjin, China;

"The Pervert's Guide to Painting", SIMULACRA, Beijing, China;

"Reality is not what you see", Time is Sun's Art, Fuzhou, China;

2021

"Five Years Old Raise Your Head", Painting Art Badass Store, Beijing, China.