Lu Xinjian 陆新建

Born in Jiangsu province in 1977, Lu Xinjian was initially trained as a designer and illustrator. After having studied in the Netherlands and worked at the Yeunguam University in South Korea he subsequently moved to Shanghai where he currently lives and works.

Lu Xinjian is today an internationally acclaimed artist who is mostly renowned for his unique City DNA paintings. This series of work is based on satellites eye view of different cities provided by Google earth. The artist analyses the features of various places and after capturing their structures he painstakingly transposes these illustrations to canvases. Although starting from a very realistic approach the final result may leave the viewer disorientated and dazed should he not have a prior knowledge of the cityscape in question. The artist deliberately effaces all of the most recognisable characteristics. He creates compositions of global metropolises whose structures are scattered into a concentration of fragmented lines.

Combining his skills as an illustrator and designer together with the ability of a painter, Lu Xinjian gives rise to highly elaborate images whose aesthetic integrity is determined by the relationship between shapes, segments and interplay of expressive colours.

By playing with the ambiguity of perspective and patterns, Lu brings forth enchanted sceneries presenting the observer with geometric reminiscences of once recognisable places.

An artist on the rise, Lu's reputation has gained him collaborations with notable brands such as Absolut Vodka, Adidas and Beats by Dr. Dre.