“Like any extraordinary work of art that comes from the soul, Gao Xiang’s art is felt. It can, however, also be read, peeling back the cultural layers like chapters in a novel.
Take for example his deceptively simple “Horse Pagoda” series.”
Gao Xiang, “Horse Pagoda”, oil and acrylic on canvas, 61 x 46cm
“WHY THE HORSE?”
Horses have a deep cultural meaning in China, having been indispensable for travel, work, leisure and warfare.
In 102BC, the Han Dynasty owed its vast expansion to a miraculous new breed of horses. Nicknamed the Heavenly Horses, they were rumoured to be so fast that they could overtake a bird in mid-flight. In warfare, speed is everything, and Emperor Wu committed to a staggering loss of life over two military campaigns to capture the horses from the Kingdom of Dayuan in what is now Uzbekistan, allowing the Han Dynasty to expand deep into Asia.
“For Gao Xiang personally, the horse also is a complex force that not only holds the mysteries of the universe and Chinese traditions but is a symbolic extension of his soul. His works can capture the horse in full gallop or bridging the earth and the stars.”
Gao Xiang, “The Dreams”, oil on canvas, 61 x 46cm
“IN THE “HORSE PAGODA” SERIES THE HORSES FORMING THE PAGODA ARE SHAPED AS TANG DYNASTY FIGURINES”
Gao Xiang, The Four Seasons Horse Pagodas (Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter), ink and acrylic on rice paper
“WHY THE TANG DYNASTY FIGURINES?”
During the Tang Dynasty (618-907 A.D.), the golden age of art and culture, many terracotta horse figurines were made specifically for the great burial mounds of deceased dignitaries. This is because horses symbolised wealth and power. In Gao Xiang’s “Horse Pagoda series, the Tang-Dynasty-shape of the horse is both an auspicious element (wealth and power) and a nod to a period in China’s history when the arts flourished.
“WHY STACKED AS A PAGODA?”
The Pagoda has become a traditional part of Chinese architecture and culture. Derived from the stupa, this Buddhist structure was used to house relics and sacred texts; provided a fantastic vantage point to admire the landscape, inspiring many a poet; and in Imperial China was a lucky symbol for hopefuls taking the notoriously difficult civil service degree examinations.
“Many of Gao Xiang’s artworks, including the Horse Pagodas, feature a strong red colour. Whenever we see “red” and “China” we immediately think “communism”. Although associated with the propaganda campaign of Communist China, red has far deeper historical connotations and spiritual significance in China.”
Gao Xiang, “Summer Horse Pagoda”, 2014, ink and acrylic on canvas, 120 x 60cm
“WHY RED?”
Red is connected to seasons, fire, sun, life and luck and above all it is an ancient symbol of power and respect. During the Han (206BC –220AD) and Ming (1368-1644) Dynasties, red represented south at a time when the rulers came from the south of China - red was a colour reserved solely for the royal family. It is no wonder that in the 20th century the Chinese Red Army appropriated the colour. As Gao Xiang says, “Chinese love and respect red. We feel serious when we see it.”
“Sometimes, there is a small figure of a man atop Gao Xiang’s Horse Pagodas. The man is symbolic of Gao Xiang, small in relation to the horses and the mystery, power, and history that they stand for. Arm raised to his forehead, he is looking towards the horizon, trying to discern an uncertain future.”
“All this, from a seemingly simple pyramid of abstracted horses!”
From our visitor’s book ...
"Very powerful horse pagodas. They speak to the heart and soul."
"So beautiful. The horses look as if they have souls."