Sichong Xie seeks to be a cultural organiser who utilises body-based sculptural forms (masks / costumes / objects) transforming discarded materials and disregarded spaces by using the tools of humor and absurdity. By placing traditional sculptural forms within new sites, materials, and social constructs, she investigates these forms and movements within global communities to re-consider and re-envision shared spaces and performative practices. In the summer of 2016 and 2017, she was a fellowship artist in the Watermill Center for Performance in Long Island, NY. In July 2017, she was an artist in residency at the Hauser & Wirth Somerset, U.K. During the three-week intensive workshops and practices, she collaborated with two other dancers, creating a piece called “Walking With The Disappeared”, which is a three hour endurance performance integrated with dance, experimental theatre and installations.
Her practice deals with issues of identity, politics, cross-culturalism, and the surreal characteristics of her body in the ever-changing environment. Her current body of work explores Chinese culture versus American culture, her female gender versus the patriarchy that is reflected in municipal sculptures in China, and Chinese Communist politics versus the “only one child” generations.
Sichong was born in Xi'An, China; now she works and lives in Los Angeles.
EDUCATION
Skowhegan School of Painting & Sculpture (June 2018-August 2018)
Full Fellowship at the Artist Residency Skowhegan, MA
Post-MFA in Fine Arts (June 2017-August 2017)
Bath Spa University Bath, UK
MFA in Photography and Media / Integrated Media (2015-2017)
California Institute of the Arts Valencia, CA
BFA in Fine Arts Graduated on May 2014
Columbus College of Art & Design Columbus, OH
Bachelor of Fine Arts (equivalent) May 2012
Xi’An Academy of Fine Arts Xi’An, Shaanxi, China
ARTIST RESIDENCIES/FELLOWSHIPS
2020
Vermont Studio Center Artist Residency - Johnson, VT, USA (Forthcoming)
ZK/U Artist Residency - Berlin, Germany (Forthcoming)
2019
The Corporation of Yaddo Artist Residency - Saratoga Springs, NY, USA
The Studios at MASS MoCA Residency - North Adams, MA, USA
Dirt & Debt Residency at Residency Unlimited - New York, NY, USA (Forthcoming)
Salmon Creek Farm Artist Residency - Albion, CA, USA
2018
Armory Center for the Arts Teaching Fellowship - Los Angeles, USA (2018-2019)
Skowhegan Summer Residency - Madison, ME, USA
The Reef Artist Residency - Los Angeles, USA
2017
The Reef Artist Residency - Los Angeles, USA
Hauser & Wirth Somerset Exchange Residency - Bath, U.K.
Watermill Center Summer Residency - Long Island, NY
Venice Biennale CalArts "The Pavilions" Residency - Venice, Italy; Kassel, Germany; Munster, Germany
2016
Watermill Center Summer Residency – Long Island, NY
2015
Da Li International Photography and Film Festival Visiting Artist in Residence - Da Li, China
2014
Mildred's Lane Summer Fellowship Residency, HumanYingWork Styles Session Participant - Narrowsburg, NY
2013
New York Studio Residency Program/AICAD – New York, NY
SOLO EXHIBITION
2019
With The Notes Of Far-Away Song Floating From The Other Shore, Automata Arts Gallery, Los Angeles, CA, USA
2018
When The Peaks Of Our Washing Sound Come Together, My Tree House Will Have A Roof (Durational Performance), Hauser & Wirth Los Angeles Gallery, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Washing Day: Losing and Re-Collecting Memories (Site-Specific Performance/Installation), AR Projects, Los Angeles, USA
2017
Walking With The Disappeared (Durational Performance), Hauser & Wirth Somerset Gallery, Bruton, UK
We Know We Could Go To Jail, D300 Gallery, Valencia, CA, USA
Do Donkeys Know Politics & A Story (Film Screening), Bijou Theatre, Valencia, CA, USA
2016
You Can't Take That Away From Me, L Shape Gallery, Valencia, CA, USA
2015
Do Birds Know Politics, Beaton Gallery, Columbus, OH
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITION
2020
We Are Here, USC Pacific Asia Museum, Los Angeles, CA, USA (Forthcoming)
2019
The Medea Insurrection, Wende Museum, Los Angeles, CA, USA (Forthcoming)
Irrational Exhibits 11: Placemaking and Social Memory, Track 16 Gallery, Los Angeles, CA, USA (Forthcoming)
Limited Access 8 Festival, Tehran, Iran
The 57th Ann Arbor Film Festival, The Michigan Theatre, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
4TH WALL: HER.E I SEE LOTUS, Vox Populi Gallery, Philadelphia, PA, USA
The Boat Has Sailed, Hasn't It?, Coaxial Art Foundation, Los Angeles, CA, USA
2018
Mapping the City: A Vision of History and City, OCAT Museum in Chengdu, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
Noctem Diaboli, The Living Gallery Outpost, New York, NY, USA
Skowhegan Book Meet, Skowhegan School of Painting & Sculptures NY Space, New York, NY, USA
Mapping the City: A Vision of History and Xi’An, OCAT Art Museum, Xi’An, China
5-Nine Variations, The Reef Artist Residency, Los Angeles, CA, USA
The 2018 New Genre Arts Festival, Living Arts of Tulsa Gallery, Tulsa, OK, USA
The Gifts of the Spirits, The Broad Museum (Ron Athey's performance project), Los Angeles, CA, USA
2017
See What You Mean, Getty Museum (Harry Gamboa Jr.'s Performance Group "Slipping Into Something More"), Los Angeles, CA, USA
Tracing Memory With The Disappeared, Automata Arts Gallery (Two Artists Exhibition), Los Angeles, CA, USA
Clothing Optional, Night Gallery, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Discovering Watermill Day, The Watermill Center for Performance, Long Island, NY, USA
Irrational Exhibits 10th Anniversary: Mapping the Divide, Los Angeles Contemporary Exhibitions(LACE), Los Angeles, CA, USA
The 2nd Changjiang Photo & Video Biennale Exhibition, Changjiang Art Museum, Chongqing, China
Sounds of Central Valley, Bijou Theatre, Valencia, CA, USA
Far Bazaar, Alternative Art Fair and Art Collective Festival, Cerritos College Fine Arts Galleries, Norwalk, CA, USA
GLAMFA Exhibition, Cal State Long Beach Art Galleries, Long Beach, CA, USA
2016
The Watermill Center for Performance GALA: House of Madness, Long Island, NY, USA
Discovering Watermill Day, The Watermill Center for Performance, Long Island, NY, USA
Photo LA, The Reef Art Galleries, Los Angeles, CA, USA
The 3rd Photo Independent Art Fair, Raleigh Studios Hollywood, Hollywood, CA, USA
Always A Body, Glass Box Gallery, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
Ecologies, Photo LA Art Fair, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Nothing To See, D300 Gallery, Valencia, CA, USA
2015
HumanUfactory Workstyles, Sullivan Gallery, Chicago, IL, USA
Dancing Tables, Mildred's Lane Gallery, Narrowsburg, NY, USA
2014
YOUNG HEARTS III, Sean Christopher Gallery, Columbus, OH, USA
En Massse, or sameness, Skylab Gallery, Columbus, OH, USA
2013
Curate NYC 2013, Chashama Gallery, New York, NY, USA
Contemporary Art Fair, New York Convention Center, New York, NY, USA
Dumbo Art Festival, Dumbo Art District, New York, NY, USA
Sweet Breads, New York Studio Residency / AICAD, New York, NY, USA
AOI Show, Rivet Gallery, Columbus, OH, USA
Rotating Exhibit, Universal Green House Gallery, Columbus, OH, USA
Columbus College of Art & Design Art Fair, Columbus, OH, USA
Diverse, Beacon Gallery, Columbus, OH, USA
2012
Mapping the City, Beaton Gallery, Columbus, OH, USA
I AM, The Canzani Center Gallery, Columbus, OH, USA
2011
The 100th Xi’An Academy of Fine Arts Annual Exhibition, Xi’An, China
2009
The 98th Xi’An Academy of Fine Arts Annual Exhibition, Xi’An, China
TEACHING
2019 summer, Instructor, Clay Studio, Armory Center for the Art, Los Angeles, USA
2019 spring, Instructor, Dreamscape, Field Trip Classes, Armory Center for the Art, Los Angeles, USA
2018 fall, Instructor, Dreamscape, Field Trip Classes, Armory Center for the Art, Los Angeles, USA
2018 summer, Lecturer, Visiting Artist Lecture: Sichong Xie, Art Practice, Xi’An Academy of Fine Arts, Xi’An, China
2018 spring, Instructor, How To Trace Memory, Performance and Drawing Workshop, New Genre Arts Festival, Tulsa, OK
2017 spring, Teaching Assistant, Undergraduate Critique, Harry Gamboa Jr.’s class in Photography and Media Department, California Institute of the Arts, Valencia, CA, USA
2016 fall, Teaching Assistant, Artist As Writer, Harry Gamboa Jr.’s class in Photography and Media Department, California Institute of the Arts, Valencia, CA, USA
2016 summer, Lecturer, New Genre and Experimental Art, New Media Art Department, Xi’An Academy of Fine Arts, Xi’An, China
2016 summer, Lecturer, Time Based Media and Interdisciplinary Art, Fine Art Department, Xi’An Ouya College, Xi’An, China
2016 summer, Lecturer, New Genre and Experimental Art, Photography and New Media Department, Xi’An Ligong University, Xi’An, China
PRESENTATIONS, ARTIST TALKS, AND PANELS
04/2019 Visiting Artist, Integrated Media, Art and Technology MFA Program, California Institute of the Arts, Valencia, CA, USA
03/2019 Artist Talk, We Know We Could Go To Jail, The 57th Ann Arbor Film Festival, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
11/2018 Presenter, The Boat Has Sailed, Hasn’t It, invited by Andrew Freeman, Photography and Media, California Institute of the Arts, Valencia, CA, USA
08/2018 Guest Speaker, The Boat Has Sailed, Hasn’t It, Visiting Artist Lecture Series, Xi’An Art Conversations, OCAT Art Musuem, Xi’An, China
08/2017 Artist Talk, Walking With The Disappeared, The Watermill Center, Long Island, NY, USA
07/2016 Artist Talk, We Know We Could Go To Jail, The Watermill Center, Long Island, NY, USA
06/2016 Visiting Artist Talk, You Can’t Take That Away From Me, Summer Visiting Artist Lecture Series, Xi’An Academy of Fine Arts, Xi’An, China
06/2016 Visiting Artist Talk, You Can’t Take That Away From Me, Visiting Artist Lecture Series, D.P. Art Space, Xi’An, China
07/2015 Panelist, Performance Art, Photography and New Media Department, Xi’An Academy of Fine Arts, Xi’An, China
CONTESTS/AWARDS
2nd Place at the Chiquita Canyon Awards, Held at California Institute of the Arts, Valencia, CA March 2016
• Received a $2,500 scholarship / grants
1st Place at the AOI Illustration Contest & Exhibition, Held at Rivet Gallery, Columbus, OH March 2013
• 3 illustrations accepted: “The Eternal Palace of Youth”, “The Magical Machine”, “A Girl with Trees”
President List Scholarship, Columbus College of Art & Design, Columbus, OH 2011-2013
Second Place, They Draw & Travel, Columbus, OH March 2012
• Chinese Ancient Cultural Map
PUBLICATIONS
Xie, Sichong. "The Ship Has Sailed, Hasn’t It?", Self-Published Artist Book, (2018)
Xie, Sichong. "Leaning On", Self-Published Artist Book, (2018)
Xie, Sichong. "Dancing Tables", Page #18-20, The 2nd Changjiang Photo & Video Biennale Exhibition Catalog, (2018)
Xie, Sichong. "Minsheng's Photographs of People's Lives in Hong Kong" Page #36, Picturing Humanism, (2017)
Xie, Sichong. "Summary on Hagar Cygler" Page #85-96, Reconsiderations, (2016)
Xie, Sichong. "You Can't Take That Away From Me" Page #28, In Whitefish Review Magazine, issue "CHANGE", (2016)
Xie, Sichong. “The Eternal Palace of Youth”, “The Magical Machine”, “A Girl with Trees” Page #13-15, In Katharine. Richards, AOI book, (2013)
Xie, Sichong. “Chinese Ancient Cultural Map” Page #37, In Nate. Padavick, Salli. Swindell, They Draw and Travel, (2012)
EXPERIENCE
Teaching Artist September 2018-Present
Armory Center for the Art, Los Angeles, USA
• Teach K-12th graders in visual arts context, exhibition walkthrough, and studio art practice
Studio Production Assistant December 2018-Present
Charles Gaines Studio, Los Angeles, USA
Museum Technician November 2017-July 2019
Museum of Jurassic Technology, Los Angeles, USA
• Improve permanent collections, install new installations and organise events in the museum
Graduate Teaching Assistant January 2016-May 2017
Harry Gamboa Jr.'s TA, California Institute of the Arts, Valencia, CA
• Teach undergraduate and graduate students in photography and new media context
Photography Instructor January 2016-August 2017
CAP, Self Help Graphics, LA
• Design course structures, teach high school students digital photography and creative writing, as well as bookbinding
Student Assistant January 2016-July 2017
International Students Office, CalArts, LA
• Write proposals, archive files, research different cultural events, and greet with visitors
Gallery Assistant September 2013-December 2013
Shin Gallery, Lower East Side, NYC
• Write proposals, install artworks, research artists and art events, and greet with visitors
Freelance Illustrator for Cinema Movies Company May 2013-Present
Cinema Movies, Columbus, OH
The Sketch & Drawing Part-Time Teacher December 2009-December 2010
The Tairen Art Studio Xi’An, Shaanxi, China
• Taught high school students drawing & sketching & character design
Fashion Illustrator January 2013-August 2015
Safelite Auto Glass, CCAD MindMarket project Columbus, OH
• Illustrated back and front looks for male and female uniform redesigns
Illustrator September 2012-December 2012
Customs T-Shirts Columbus, OH
• Designed graphics and illustrated images for t-shirt printing
Fabric Pattern Illustrator July 2012
The Shaanxi Province Hospital Xi’An, China
• Designed hanging fabric background for the 14th international meeting, including company logo while incorporating the idea of rebirth in a traditional Chinese culture
Book Illustrator May 2011
Chinese Publishing Company Xi’An, China
• Designed the cover and illustrated ‘The Small Fish’ a 30 page book