BEI Jiaxiang was born in Shanghai in 1953 and graduated from the school of art of Shanghai Normal University in 1976. In 1984, he finished his study at the first advanced oil painting training course organized by the Central Academy of Fine Arts and became an Associate Professor until 1991, after that he moved to Australia.
During his work at Shanghai Normal University, one of his artworks Yesterday·Today·Tomorrow won the Excellence Awards at the 6th National Arts Exhibition and the 1st Prize among oil paintings made between 1984 and 1985 in an art competition organized by Shanghai Literature and Arts Association. This work was then published on the front page of Guangming Daily as it highly illustrated the hunger for knowledge of a whole generation of young people dropped out of school during the Cultural Revolution. In 2021, on the cover of Art Magazine, this work was appeared again in the eyes of the world.
In 1991, he went to Australia and spent 2 years in Melbourne Museum to learn and imitate the world’s best artworks, and started to look for a way to bring new implication to western oil paintings by adding spirit of Chinese traditional paintings. During that period, his works were rewarded Gold Award at Australia Robert Art Exhibition and Excellence Awards at Campbell Art Exhibition, etc.
However, after more than 20 years of experience in Australia, we can see that BEI Jiaxiang’s art is still deeply rooted in the regional culture of Shanghai. In recent years, he created a number of amazing works including Running Horses, Old Shanghai, Shikumen (a traditional Shanghainese architectural style combining Western and Chinese elements), Chinese Operas, Shanghainese Dialect, Fans, Ballet and Ink Wash Paintings on Characters from Chinese Operas, etc. His works are now operated by galleries from Australia, USA, Japan, Korea, China (Shanghai, Taiwan and Hongkong) and widely collected by Australian Telecommunications Corporation, National Art Museum of China, Shanghai Art Museum, as well as private collect
In 1983, Four Cyclists was exhibited at Shanghai Art Exhibition, this piece is now collected by Shanghai Art Museum; In 1984, Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow won the 3rd prize at the 6th National Art Exhibition, this piece is now collected by National Art Museum of China; In 1985, Du was exhibited at Advancing Chinese Youth Art Exhibition in Shanghai; In 1986, Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow won the 1st prize at the 1st Shanghai Literature and Art Exhibition; In 1991, Gold Award at Australia Robert Art Exhibition In 1991, Excellence Award at Campbell Art Exhibition; In 2001, solo exhibition in Japan; In 2003, solo exhibition at SILKLAND Gallery in Ginza, Tokyo, Japan; In 2013, solo exhibition ‘BEI Jiaxiang Ink and Wash Paintings on Human Body’at Shanghai Meibo Art Museum; In 2014, solo exhibition ‘Capitals-BEI Jiaxiang Oil Paintings and Ink Wash Paintings’ at Shanghai Meibo Art Museum; In 2014, BEI Jiaxiang’s art works were exhibited at the 18th Shanghai Art Fair;
In 2015, BEI Jiaxiang represented the Chinese Pavilion to participate in the One Belt One Road Art Exhibition in Busan, South Korea (Chasing Dreams· Busan);
In 2015, artworks were exhibited at the 19th Shanghai Art Fair; In 2016, special exhibition ‘Memories’ at the 20th Shanghai Art Fair; In 2017, solo exhibition ‘Chasing the Wind’ at Shanghai Meibo Art Museum; In 2017, “Chasing the Wind – BEI Jiaxiang solo Exhibition” at the 21st Shanghai Art Fair; In 2018, exhibition ‘The Eye of Drama’ at the 22nd Shanghai Art Fair; In 2019, ‘About Us- BEI Jiaxiang and His Students’ at Shanghai Meibo Art Museum; In 2019, exhibition of series of Works “Color World” at the 1st One Belt One Road Art Shanghai International Fair; In 2019, exhibition of series of Works Chinese Operas “The Eye of Drama” at the 2nd China International Import Expo; In 2020, exhibition of series of Works ‘Shanghai Echoes” at the 2nd One Belt One Road Art Shanghai International Expo; In 2021, exhibition ‘Somewhere in Time, Polyphony at Chang’s Garden’ at Chang’s Garden in Shanghai; In 2021, exhibition ‘Retro Modern in Old Shanghai’ at Shanghai Meibo Art Museum.
On July 7, 2009, two oil paintings about flowers created by BEI Jiaxiang (the leader of Yi Xiang style oil paintings in Shanghai) were sold at 2019 Spring Contemporary Artworks Auction at Shanghai Auction House. On June 4, 2021, the oil painting Fang Fu (Charming Fragrance) was auctioned at a special session for modern and contemporary art at Poly Beijing 2021 Spring Auction for RMB 2.07 million, the price was four times the estimate. * Yi Xiang is an art style that stands between realistic and abstract art.
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