Xiu XueFei
[Works include: lacquer painting, sculpture, digital painting, and perceptual experiments]
A white horse stands by the stream, lowering its head to drink. Deep black water reflects distant mountains in dark green and the earth in crimson, with a black ribbon-like current interrupted by a white embankment supporting the still horse. The stream flows slowly; mountains and waters stretch beyond the eye, and time seems to slow.
In our fragmented world, such stillness is rare. No conscious effort is needed—presence alone allows water, horse, and breath to unfold together, calming the mind. Distance between awareness and perception contracts; each pause is a gentle, wordless ritual. The work tells no story, yet perception itself emerges as a way of life.
At the 2026 Hofburg Future of Light Art Festival, Xiu XueFei presents a single, small-scale work, The Solitary Horse by the Stream. The piece embodies years of reflection on stillness, mindful presence, and time, yet unfolds in a restrained way: a horse, a stream, a moment naturally occurring.
There is no grand narrative, nor need for complex systems. Viewers simply remain present, pausing alongside the image. Color, space, and time unfold in quiet, as if amidst distant mountains and flowing waters, allowing all to happen naturally.
