Jin Xiaoyao’s early oil paintings focus on refining the spirituality in the combination of portrait and landscape, and attempts to express the lightness both in spirit and materiality. He has always paid close attention to and practiced the subtle influence of oil and watercolor paint as materials on his painting. 

In recent years, driven by the decision to stay as far away from second-hand visual experiences (pictures, videos, etc.) as possible, Jin Xiaoyao has traveled deep into the hinterlands of southwest China, such as Tibet and Yunan, to directly experience the sublime of nature, between sunset and moonrise. Sublime is a concept coined by philosopher Kant in the 18th century, which roughly means that in front of nature, a man’s senses transcend reason, and he is overwhelmed by this feeling. The artist combines the sublime of nature with his feeling in the presence of certain natural environments, thus initiating a series of paintings and watercolors that could only be done when he was in surrounded by nature and mixed it with his own human feelings. 

Since 2022, Jin Xiaoyao has been using iPad painting to explore NFT art. The technique is the same layer-by-layer covering technique he uses in his oil painting, a technique he is concerned about and in favor of, that dates back to the Baroque period. iPad painting has given Xiaoyao inexhaustible imaginative resources, freeing him from the constraints of time and space.  

The gallery also highly regards Jin Xiaoyao’s research over the past several years on the impact of scientific and technological progress on art, through self-made pigments, special effects brought about by acrylic paints, and dynamic digital works. It’s a continuation of his commitment to improving art expression through materials.