Guan Xiao describes her approach as “sculptural painting,” combining techniques from painting and sculpture to create richly textured works with a strong physical presence. In Moss, she draws from the Expressionist influence of Frank Auerbach, Leon Kossoff, and Per Kirkeby, using modeling paste to create raised surfaces that blur the boundary between image and object.

This series uses magnified images of plants as a creative starting point. The enlarged forms resemble topographical landscapes, which the artist interprets as the skin of Earth. Through her sculptural approach to painting, Guan transforms these organic images into richly textured surfaces that challenge conventional ways of seeing. By shifting scale and perspective, Moss encourages viewers to reconsider both the natural world and the role images play in shaping our understanding of it.