SAATCHI GALLERY PRESENTS ARTIST RONG BAO’S DEBUT SOLO EXHIBITION

• From 23 February, Saatchi Gallery will showcase works of Royal College of Art graduate and theCOLAB / Royal College of Art / Yorkshire Sculpture Park 2023 Award Winner, Rong Bao
• The exhibition marks the first solo show at Saatchi Gallery dedicated to a female Chinese artist
• The exhibition presents Bao’s practice across the media of sculpture, painting, installation and video, and spans 5 years of development and experimentation

LONDON, UK –Saatchi Gallery is delighted to present the debut solo show of Chinese artist Rong Bao. Rong Bao Is Me pays testament to Bao’s playful transformation of familiar objects through sculptural practice, prompting us to question our perception of the physical world. The exhibition will invite sensory interactions between audience and artwork, creating a playground of gestures that poke fun at the absurdity of posing order on society. Viewers should prepare to connect with their mischievous sides and participate in a world that pushes the boundaries of acceptability.

Marking the first solo show at Saatchi Gallery dedicated to a female Chinese artist, Bao’s diverse body of work will demonstrate her commitment to play in the form of sculpture, painting, installation and video. The exhibition will include large-scale inflatable sculptures from her ‘Floating’ collection such as ‘The Enigma’ – a project reflecting Bao’s fascination with the complexity and diversity of life and her ability to manipulate materials beyond their typical use.

Bao has earned recognition on both national and international platforms. Notably, she was selected as one of the Top 10 emerging artists for the China UCCA Lab x Perrier New Emerging Artists and shortlisted for New Contemporaries 2022. In 2023, Bao secured the coveted theCOLAB / Royal College of Art / Yorkshire Sculpture Park Award. She recently received the Gilbert Bayes Prize 2024 awarded by the Royal Society of Sculptors and the Connections Through Culture 2023 grants program awarded by the British Council.

Rong Bao: “Having my first solo exhibition at Saatchi Gallery is incredibly exciting, and to be the first Chinese female artist to have this opportunity makes this moment even more meaningful to me. I firmly believe that art should not be reduced to dry annotations of philosophy and theory. The artworks which we put on such pedestals should not become the standard paradigm of art. I hope my work can be enjoyed by all – whether you are 3 or 99, I invite you to leave your burdens at home and laugh heartily with me at the absurdity of life!”

Lily Waterton, Programming Manager at Saatchi Gallery: “Saatchi Gallery is delighted to be hosting Rong Bao’s debut solo show. This exhibition will immerse visitors in the playful, surreal, and provocative world of the artist, and explore the immense breadth and depth of her practice. We can’t wait to introduce our audiences to her work, which combines a tongue-in-cheek riposte to the norms and conventions of the gallery space with an impressive technical mastery.”

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NOTES TO EDITORS

For all press enquiries, please contact:

Phoebe Randall, Press Executive phoebe.r@saatchigallery.com
Amelia Okell, Head of Communications amelia@saatchigallery.com   I   +44 (0) 20 7811 3091

Dates and Opening Hours

Open to the public: 23 February – 12 May
10 AM – 6 PM (last admission 5.20 PM)

Admission

Admission to this exhibition is free, with a suggested donated of £3.

Images

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Social Media

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School Visits & Community Groups

With the generous support of all our patrons, for each major exhibition, there are opportunities for students and community groups to engage in creative projects and workshops. Visit saatchigallery.com/learning or call +44 (0) 20 7811 3087 for more details.

ABOUT SAATCHI GALLERY

Since 1985, Saatchi Gallery has provided an innovative platform for contemporary art. Exhibitions have presented works by largely unseen young artists, or by international artists whose work has been rarely or never exhibited in the UK. This approach has made the Gallery one of the most recognised names in contemporary art. Since moving to its current 70,000 square feet space in the Duke of York’s Headquarters in Chelsea, London, the Gallery has welcomed over 10 million visitors. The Gallery hosts thousands of school visits annually and has over 6 million followers on social media. In 2019 Saatchi Gallery became a registered charity, beginning a new chapter in its history. www.saatchigallery.com

Registered Charity Number: 1182328

Saatchi Gallery, Duke of York’s HQ, King’s Rd, Chelsea, London SW3 4RY