Civilization in Drift -- A Technology of Assemblage

In April 2026, artist Xu Zhen’s first solo exhibition in Suzhou, ‘Civilizational Drift – A Technique of Assembly’, was officially presented at the H+ Art Museum. As the first major solo exhibition of contemporary art held within the ‘Three-Dimensional Garden’ designed by Tadao Ando, the exhibition—curated by Sheng Liyu—systematically showcased Xu Zhen’s key series spanning over two decades, alongside his latest works. Employing ‘assembly techniques’ as its method, the exhibition deconstructs and reconfigures images and symbols from diverse civilizations, constructing a visual landscape within the meandering spaces reminiscent of Suzhou’s classical gardens that explores global cultural drift and the reconstruction of modes of perception. Rooted in the cultural heritage of Gusu, the H+ Art Museum revitalises the ancient city through contemporary art; this solo exhibition by Xu Zhen represents yet another significant initiative in its dual commitment to fostering international dialogue and local practice.

Exhibition Focus: The Deconstruction and Reconstruction of Civilizations

Xu Zhen is one of the most experimental figures in the field of Chinese contemporary art, with a practice spanning sculpture, installation, painting, video and performance. The exhibition’s title, ‘Civilisational Drift – A Technique of Assembly’, precisely encapsulates his working method: dismantling images and symbols from different civilisations and eras from their original contexts, cutting, grafting and substituting them as if they were standardised components, before reassembling them into a visual experience that is both familiar and slightly shifted.
The exhibition opens with 'Hello'—a coiled Collins column that no longer supports a temple but spirals like a living organism across the gallery’s third-floor platform, nodding in greeting to the audience. Curator Sheng Liyu notes: “This is not merely a cultural collage, but a deeper transformation: the cultural order, historical sequence and modes of viewing that we take for granted are being rearranged.”
Six sections, over 40 works
The exhibition is divided into six sections (‘Civilizational Drift’, ‘Above’, ‘The Temperature of the System’, ‘Random Enlightenment’, ‘Hermit Hyperlinks’ and ‘Momentary Contemplation’), covering classic series such as 'The World', 'Immortality', 'Evolution', 'Planetary Landscapes' and 'Fog', whilst also presenting, for the first time, the latest work from the 'Alien' series, 'Alien' (2026, Taihu stone), and the special section ‘The Temperature of the System’.

The Exhibition’s Dialogue with Suzhou: A Gift Concerning Ways of Seeing

As Xu Zhen’s first exhibition in Suzhou, this show brings a wholly new way of seeing to a city renowned for its classical gardens and traditional cultural heritage. Set within the H+ Art Museum—a ‘three-dimensional garden’ designed by Tadao Ando—the space inherently encourages visitors to walk and shift their perspectives; Xu Zhen’s works resonate perfectly with this, inviting viewers to walk whilst looking, and to reflect whilst observing. This is perhaps the most precious gift this inaugural exhibition offers to Suzhou—it frees people from the urgency to ‘understand’ at once, allowing them instead to linger in uncertainty, to feel, and to ask new questions.