Unlike the Cynical Realists and the Political Pop artists of his generation, Xu Lei uses a more private and subtle language. Executed in the traditional ‘gongbi’ (fine-brush) technique, Xu’s paintings are extremely detailed. A strong sense of stillness envelopes his works which makes one aware of time’s passage. This effect is further enhanced by the subdued palette and the bareness of the pictorial space which is often occupied by either a cat or a horse or a human figure or a few pieces of furniture. The artist has once said, ‘I think the contemporary is too close to me and this prevents me from making impartial observation… I like things which have undergone the passage of time.’ This catalogue documents Xu Lei’s first one-man show in Hong Kong. It includes two essays on the art of Xu Lei and a biography of the artist.

徐累的表現形式傾向於個人化和含蓄內歛，風格與同期的玩世寫實主義和政治波普藝術家們迥然有別。他運用傳統的「工筆」畫法，筆觸細膩精緻。他的作品彌漫着無邊的靜寂，使觀者倏然驚覺時光荏苒、韶華易逝。此外，徐累設色淡雅，刻畫的主題往往只是一隻貓、一匹馬或零星幾件家居擺設，畫面滌蕩空靈。徐累說道：「我覺得當代離我太近，以致沒有足夠的距離去冷靜的觀察和清醒的思考。……我喜歡經過時間過濾的東西，只有剔除某些誤導的表象，本質才會顯露。」本圖錄展示的是徐累首次在香港舉辦個展的作品，並附有兩篇評論及徐累的簡歷。