“XSWL” – Chinese internet slang, short for “xiào sǐ wǒle” – means “laughing to death” and echoes the English “LOL.” But with a twist; when viewed more literally, light-hearted fun might mask darker games at play.
Seeing art as an arena where the stakes are high and social boundaries are pushed to their limits, the works – drawn from the gallery’s collection – flaunting wild colours, cartoon imagery and everyday playthings, sit in sharp contrast to an underlying sense of violent humour, as tongue-in-cheek creations shatter once-innocent veneers.
Nabuqi, Pet (Blue) (detail), 2021, bronze, paint, 110 × 65 × 40cm. Courtesy the artist and White Rabbit Gallery, Sydney
White Rabbit Gallery
18 December 2024 to 18 May 2025
Sydney
