Rong Xie, China/UK
Born in Chengdu, China, Lives and works in Dorking, Surrey, United Kingdom,
Rong Xie is a multidisciplinary artist whose work subverts notions of Chineseness and femininity through embodied, performative practice. Using her body as both canvas and medium, she creates action paintings and performative portraits with materials such as Chinese ink, red lipstick, coal, chlorophyll, and breast milk. Her celebrated series—including Calligraphy on Face, Vase Performance, and Hair Painting—mark key contributions to contemporary ink and performance art.
Rooted in personal and political histories, Xie Rong’s work navigates themes of identity, ecofeminism, and the body as a site of resistance. Her performances often integrate English narration with Chinese folk song, challenging dominant narratives of beauty, power, and vulnerability. Drawing influence from Eastern philosophy, Fluxus, and action art, her practice seeks to provoke reflection, intimacy, and dialogue.
Trained at Sichuan Fine Arts Institute High School, Central Saint Martins, and the Royal College of Art, Xie Rong collaborates regularly with photographer Jamie Baker, creating portraits that blur the boundary between documentation and mark-making. Her work has been exhibited internationally and is held in public collections including the Staatliche Museum in Berlin, the Crow Museum in Dallas, The Ned, Soho House, and Kensington Palace.
In addition to her painting and performance work, she creates intimate films and develops site-specific, immersive storytelling in collaboration with musicians and movement artists. Her accolades include the Aesthetica Art Prize (2014), Chinese Arts Now Scratch Award (2019), and shortlisting for the Mother Art Prize (2022). A committed educator, she has lectured at institutions across the UK, US, and China, including Sotheby’s Institute of Art, Glasgow School of Art, Central Saint Martins, and the Royal College of Art. She is currently Senior Lecturer in Fine Art at Chelsea College of Arts.
Rong Xie. Home Hong Kong. 2017. Photo : Jamie Baker.
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