Artist tackles weighty issue

The overweight female physique, sometimes with exaggerated proportions, which Xu normally renders in bronze, easily reminds the audience of a similar approach found in primitive art, in which plump limbs and a broad waist represent a woman's fertility. Instead, in Xu's work, the fuller figures symbolize both physical and mental well-being.

He shows these women as individuals in various scenarios of everyday life: playing the cello, enjoying a tango with a dancing partner, practicing yoga, riding a galloping horse, or being angry with a naughty dog. Whatever appearance the woman takes, she brims with nothing but self-confidence, optimism and energy.

Xu imparts his productions with a strong sense of rhythm, theatrical strength and wild imagination.

The exhibition displays several works showing a large woman dancing with a slim man, and sometimes, the massive body of the woman is raised up in the air, as if it is as light and soft as a cloud. Other times, the woman is lifted by her smaller partner, or in return, she is the one lifting the male dancer.

The sharp contrast between the physiques of the woman and the man, and between the woman's expression of great delight and the cool look on the man's face, has allowed Xu's work to transcend the boundaries of culture and nation.