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Su Xiaobai’s Meditative Material Practice Is the Focus of One of the Biennale’s Most Commanding Shows

Installed in a 15th-century palazzo, the Chinese master's natural lacquer surfaces feel less painted than shaped by geological time.

It may be the fluid nature of Venice—the way the city itself makes visible the cyclical rhythm of all things, suspended as it is between decay and regeneration—but alchemy seems to permeate this year’s Biennale and its collateral exhibitions. In one of the most scenographic exhibitions in the city, Chinese artist Su Xiaobai has installed his lacquered three-dimensional works in energetic constellations throughout the magnificent Palazzo Soranzo Van Axel, a 15th-century palace defined by its Gothic style, unusually atmospheric frescoed interiors and a porous, articulated architecture. The exhibition brings together 35 paintings that trace the 77-year-old artist’s three-decade relationship with natural lacquer, from a 2003 work to new paintings made specifically for Venice.

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"SU XIAOBAI’S ALCHEMICAL UNIVERSE" Artist: Su Xiaobai Venue: Palazzo Soranzo Van Axel, Cannaregio Open: Daily, except Tuesdays, from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. Through: Nov. 22, 2026

Through a meditative practice anchored in ancient traditions and deep spirituality, Su transforms the ancient medium of lacquer into a radiant sculptural........

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