Paper Edge: Xin Song's Fusion of Tradition and Contemporary Sensibility

Xin Song 3: Big Wave, 2024, site-specific papercut installation

By ROBERT C. MORGAN October 21, 2024

"Chaos and Belief," the recent solo exhibition by Beijing-born, New York-based artist Xin Song, offers a profound exploration of the Chinese Folk Art tradition of papercutting, infused with a contemporary and Western Pop Art sensitivity. On display at the Artego Gallery in New York from October 4 to 24, 2024, and curated by the esteemed art critic Richard Vine, the exhibition showcases Song’s dedication to merging traditional craft with the complexities of modern life. This mid-career survey highlights her commitment to investigating contemporary art's deeper meanings while grappling with political and cultural tension issues.

In this interview conducted on October 11, 2024, Robert C. Morgan speaks with Xin Song about the evolution of her work, her engagement with contemporary themes, and her unique process.

The gallery view of Xin Song Solo Show: Song Xin: Chaos and Belief at Artego Gallery

Robert C. Morgan (Robert): I was pleased to attend the opening at Artego Gallery. I've known your work for over ten years, and this recent show feels like a semi-survey of your practice. Could you explain the fundamental idea behind the show and its varied presentation?

Xin Song (Xin): This show has several different work groups. One of the main series is a Still Life series based on flower patterns made from mixed materials—magazines and fabrics. I selected images from National Geographic, fashion and jewelry, food, car, and computer magazines. These items reflect our ordinary lives and nature. I started working with magazine clippings in the early 2000s when paper magazines were still a popular medium for advertisement and communication. I collect magazines from the '60s, '70s, and '80s, and I pull from these for my work.

Robert: What drew you to papercutting, and how did you incorporate it into your art?

Xin: My starting point was learning traditional Chinese paper cutting in China. When I came to New York, I saw used magazines sold on the street, and I thought they reflected American culture. I began cutting images from these magazines to make collages. I was particularly intrigued when people gave me Playboy magazines from the '60s and '70s. In China during my teenage years, such magazines were illegal, and people could only access them underground. There was a lot of shyness and secrecy around topics like sex. So, when I came to America and saw how open people were, it was a cultural shock for me. I began to explore this contrast between cultures through my art, though that particular series isn't included in this show. After that, I started collecting other magazines like National Geographic, and my work evolved from there.

Robert: Why did you title this series Still Life?

Xin: Still Life is a classic art form in Western oil painting, but the concept is understood differently in China. For me, Still Life holds many layers of meaning. The objects in these works tell life stories. It's a way for me to talk about the cultural dialogue between two countries.

Robert: That's brilliant—such a fantastic subject. When did you first start thinking about this idea?

Xin: I began around 2008 or 2010, about fifteen years ago.

What do you believe series: Aung San Suu Kyi, Bruce Lee, Clinton, and Hilary, 2024, papercut on print paper, each 19”x 13”

Robert: When did you move to the United States, and how long do you think you'll continue with this work?

Xin: I moved here in 2000, and I've been working on the Still Life series since around 2008 or 2009. It's ongoing because I keep adding to it. I also have another series called Tree of Life, though it's not in this show. I keep working and evolving.

Robert: You did a live performance at the opening where you cut and mixed paper. One of the exhibition’s standout pieces is the large installation with twisted paper streamers. It feels very dynamic and different from your Still Life series. Can you explain its concept?

Xin: That's from my Abstraction series. It represents an internal storm—an embodiment of the human condition and societal unrest. It's tied to the theme of the show, which explores chaos.

Robert: What other projects are you working on?

Xin: Yes, I have been working on fabric-based pieces. The big centerpiece in the show is a fabric collage. I started this during the pandemic when I visited my mom's house in 2018. She had saved many small pieces of fabric over the years, some dating back to 1910. These fabrics are connected to both Chinese history and my family's history. During the pandemic, I couldn't go out, so I started working with these fabrics, drawing from decorative and quilting traditions.

Robert: It's fascinating how you bring personal history into your materials. Your approach reminds me of Pop Art, but you transmitted Western Pop into deeply rooted Asian sources, which makes your work both strong and unique. I find your iconic paper pieces particularly striking in the Pop context.

Xin: Do you mean the works with iconic figures like Aung San Suu Kyi, Hillary Clinton, and Bruce Lee? Those are from a project called “What Do You Believe?” I started this about ten years ago, doing video interviews with people of different ages, genders, and identities. I asked them the same question: “What do you believe?” People gave all sorts of answers—some believed in Jesus, Buddha, money, or themselves. The iconic figures are connected to these varied beliefs.

Robert: That's so powerful. Your work engages with the complexities of cultural identity, belief systems, and the political realities shaping our world. Through this exhibition, you open a dialogue about creating art in a world where cultural and political differences are constantly present. Your approach is serious, but there's a poetic sensibility to it. You show that art can be both beautiful and deeply engaged with the world around us. I can say that Xin Song's papercutting goes beyond aesthetics. It becomes a metaphor for navigating the tensions between chaos and order, personal conviction, and societal forces. This exhibition is a testament to her quiet finding meaning in subtle, poetic forms. WM