Tian Jianxin is a Chinese sculptor based in Beijing whose work explores the interplay between classical sculptural traditions and the poetic potential of everyday objects. Influenced by both Eastern and Western canons—from Buddhist statuary and Chinese folk crafts to artists like Michelangelo and Rodin—his practice centers on transforming worn domestic vessels into carriers of human form and memory. By carving anonymous faces and figures into pots, kettles, and cutting boards, Tian constructs a mythology of the everyday, turning utilitarian objects into intimate reflections on absence, presence, and the passage of time. His work resists overt narrative, favoring instead open-ended encounters shaped by tactile engagement and subtle emotional resonance. Through this material and thematic approach, Tian offers a sculptural language that is both deeply personal and broadly human, positioning him as a distinctive voice in the global field of contemporary sculpture.
Q01:
What's your idea of a perfect day?
A01:
A very fulfilling state of creation, while seizing moments of sudden inspiration.
Q02:
What's your favorite way to rest or decompress?
Q03:
When did you start taking being an artist seriously?
A03:
After graduating with a master's degree, I realized that I wanted to become an independent-thinking creator.
Q04:
What's one tool or material you can't live without?
A04:
My current tools of choice are hammers and aluminum utensils.
Q05:
What are you listening to in your studio?
A05:
Very diverse music that also that suits my taste.
Q06:
Best advice you've ever received as an artist?
A06:
Please yourself; be self-critical.
Q07:
What's a skill you're working on mastering?
A07:
Logical thinking and language expression ability.
Q08:
Favorite exhibition space?
A08:
Spaces that can have a dialogue with my work's journey; spaces that are simple and not "forced."
Q09:
What's the first thing you notice about people?
Q10:
Most recent purchase?
Q11:
Do you like surprises?
A11:
I like them, then suddenly dislike them.
Q12:
What's a vice you wish you could give up?
Q14:
A book everyone should read?
A14:
Jean Baudrillard:The System of Object.
Q15:
What's the best compliment you've ever received?
Q16:
What kind of kid were you? What did you enjoy doing, and how did you spend your time?
A16:
When I was young, I was a quiet and shy child. I loved drawing and spent a lot of time copying the patterns on the fabrics that I saw.
Q17:
Worst advice you've ever received as an artist?
A17:
Treat yourself as an artist.
Q18:
If you weren't an artist, what would you be doing?
