Jia Aili: Seeker of Hope

Upon encountering ‘Seeker of Hope’, the massive exhibition of large-scale paintings and works by Chinese artist Jia Aili currently occupying most of the space at SAM, you might be surprised to discover that it’s all the product of one young, 33-year-old ar tist. Not only does Jia execute beautifully rendered, monumental-scale works at an impressively prolific pace – the exhibition features nearly 50 pieces in all – he produces work that seems melancholic beyond his years. Born in Liaoning Province (where he graduated from the Lu Xun Academy of Fine Ar ts) and now based in Beijing, Jia is one of many contemporar y Chinese painters whose work explores complex issues inspired by modern China – in Jia’s case, it’s work that speaks of comparable isolation and looks towards a bleak, apocalyptic future. While there are many ar tists out there who try to address problems of globalisation and technological advancement, there are few creating works this evocative. Filling four large galleries, Jia’s wall-sized paintings (including several diptychs and triptychs, as well as the 10m-long ‘Good Morning World’) present bleak scenarios – from barren landscapes inhabited by solitar y figures to junkyards heaped with unwanted technology and lonely astronauts on missions to space. Dark, rich shades of blue and grey dominate this stunning collection, with occasional slashes of red highlighting the canvases. The show is well curated, also featuring studies done on paper, as well as a few interesting mixed- media pieces (‘Duino Elegies’ features a copper rod cooled by a refrigerator compressor), providing plenty of space to stroll through the galleries and slowly take in the scale and scope of each canvas. We recommend devoting a long afternoon to fully appreciating the works and becoming immersed in Jia’s vision – it’ll leave you breathless. Tania De Rozario

Entry for local students and senior citizens free; Fri 6-9pm