Ai Xuan was born in 1947 in Hebei province. He is the son of the prominent political poet Ai Qing and half-brother of renown artist Ai Weiwei. He graduated from Central Academy of Fine Arts in 1976. During the cultural revolution Ai Xuan was sent by the government to work as hard labour in a Tibetan military farm from 1969 – 1973.
The early life experience provided him with the subject matter for his best known finely rendered Tibetan series, often described as using scenery to express emotions.
Ai Xuan has been immersed in realist paintings in the past three decades. His work is rich in symbolism, he focuses on the natural environment and human relationships, Ai Xuan devoted his life in creating fantasies that have proved popular with the mainland elite.
Auction Record (2010): US$ 2,778,700
Average Auction Sales Price (2015): US$ 357,725
