Artwork Description

Title: Book Collection Series
Artist: Haobo Xiao
Date: n.d.
Medium: Installation
Dimensions: 43.5 x 36 cm (17.1 x 14.2 in); 45 x 37.5 cm (17.7 x 14.8 in); 43.5 x 36 cm (17.1 x 14.2 in)

1. Artwork Identification
Book Collection Series by Haobo Xiao is a conceptual installation composed of three visually striking book-based objects, presented in clear acrylic vitrines with protective interior padding. The books feature covers modeled after iconic art publications—Albrecht Dürer, John Currin, and Xiao Haibo—suggesting a meta-commentary on the art historical canon, authorship, and commodification. The dimensions of the vitrines vary slightly, measuring 43.5 x 36 cm (17.1 x 14.2 in), 45 x 37.5 cm (17.7 x 14.8 in), and again 43.5 x 36 cm (17.1 x 14.2 in), emphasizing the individuality of each piece while maintaining a cohesive visual identity.

2. Artistic Style and Influences
The installation reflects a postmodern sensibility, engaging in appropriation and self-referential aesthetics. By transforming monographs—typically tools for academic or market-based valorization—into sculptural objects, Xiao blurs the boundaries between medium, message, and material. Influences from institutional critique, Pop Art, and the aesthetics of consumer culture are evident in the polished presentation and ironic juxtaposition of subject matter.

3. Historical Context
Created during a period in which Chinese contemporary art increasingly interrogates Western art historical structures and modes of display, Xiao’s work positions itself at the crossroads of global art discourse. The choice of Western figures such as Dürer and Currin alongside a monograph on Xiao Haibo himself signals an inquiry into representation, legitimacy, and the artist’s place within a transnational art system.

4. Provenance
Provenance documentation can be provided upon contact.

5. Condition and Conservation
The installation is in very good condition. The plexiglass vitrines are intact, with no visible cracks or discoloration. The books show no signs of wear, and the interior protective materials (bubble wrap and plastic) maintain the integrity of the presentation.

6. Artistic Significance
Book Collection Series is a sharp, humorous, and contemplative work that transforms familiar formats into thought-provoking art objects. By encasing art books within vitrines, Xiao elevates them from informational tools to symbolic relics, prompting viewers to reflect on the systems that construct artistic value. This piece invites dialogue on the commodification of knowledge and the mechanisms of legacy, rendering it a notable contribution to contemporary installation art in China and beyond.