Page 182 - VOL 8

Xuesheng Ma

Xuesheng Ma is a young artist currently based in London, UK. Born in Zhejiang, China, she later pursued her
studies in Japan and the UK. Her work merges the poetic visual language of photography with surreal
imagination. Through her work, Xuesheng Ma explores the dynamic relationship between nature and humanity,
while reflecting on themes such as time, space, and spirituality. Her work has been exhibited internationally, in
countries including the UK, Japan, France, the Netherlands, and Italy. She has received several notable
accolades, including the "30 Under 30 Female Artists Award" and the International Marianne Brandt Prize.
Over the past decade, Xuesheng Ma has experienced multiple relocations across various countries, moving
twelve times. This itinerant lifestyle has significantly influenced her artistic practice, with much of her
adolescence characterized by a series of departures and new beginnings. These frequent transitions have
cultivated a distinctive emotional connection to historic and aging architecture, which she views as symbols of
stillness and tranquility. She is particularly drawn to the calm and serenity these spaces evoke, finding a
profound sense of security in them, as though returning to something eternal and unchanging. To Xuesheng
Ma, these buildings appear to transcend the passage of time, existing as "echoes" from parallel realms,
offering a sense of perpetual peace and stability. In “Echo”, Xuesheng Ma transforms her emotional
connection to architecture into a visual narrative. Using a medium-format film camera, she captures ancient
buildings across the UK, and through post-production techniques, constructs surreal, dreamlike scenes within
these historic spaces. Within these environments, she imagines the presence of the builders who once
constructed these structures, their former inhabitants, future visitors, and unseen spirits. These imagined
figures, Xuesheng Ma perceives, are "echoes" from parallel dimensions, woven together to create fantastical
realms that transcend the limits of reality. Xuesheng Ma’s creative inspiration stems not only from her
exploration of architecture but also from her profound engagement with nature, religion, and philosophy. She
is particularly drawn to animistic beliefs prevalent in many Asian religions, notably the concept that all things
possess a spirit. In Shintoism, there are said to be eight million gods, with the sun goddess at the center,
embodying a reverence for the spiritual energy inherent in nature. This belief has shaped her understanding
that the flourishing of life is not human-centered, but rather that nature itself is the true ruler of the Earth,
imbued with boundless vitality. These ideas continue to inform her practice, infusing her work with a sense of
mystery and spirituality, often integrating natural elements into her photographic compositions.

182 Series of ‘Echo’ - Fine art photo print, 40'’x40'’, 2023-2024