Xiao Wang combines dramatic, moody color palettes with a realist approach in figurative paintings that draw visual and conceptual inspiration from Romanticism, the Symbolist movement, and magical realism. Born in China and based in Brooklyn, he received a BFA from the Glasgow School of Art, and MFA from the San Francisco Art Institute. The artist has shown work internationally, in the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom and Italy. Wang has also completed artist residencies at MASS MoCA, the Vermont Studio Center, Root Division, and Art Point. 

Slumber Under A Shade is part of a recent series that loosely references The Sleep of Reason Produces Monsters, a satirical etching which expressed Francisco Goya’s concerns over the political atmosphere of his time. Wang’s work channels a similar feeling of anxiety, in a current era riddled by tension arising from rapid social and cultural shifts, environmental crises, and ideological uncertainties. In this painting, a hand arches over a male character’s head, beneath cascading leaves from a ginkgo tree as the halo of an eclipsed moon charges the scene with a mysterious, uncanny feeling. Each print in this series is unique with additional hand-embellished foliage added by the artist using acrylic paints. 

Of his motivation behind this edition, Wang notes, “Growing up in China, home cooking and food sharing have always been essential parts of my life and my community. I believe that having access to safe and healthy food directly impacts the overall well-being of a community. City Harvest works towards building a healthy future for all New Yorkers, and I am proud to contribute to their mission."

Of the total net proceeds from sales of this print, 20% will benefit City Harvest and, as with all AFC initiatives, the artist receives 50%. 

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