The Bodhi Tree Never Was

Gao Feng – Sculptor, born in Liaoning, China, 1972.

Gao Feng graduated from the Sculpture Department of Lu Xun Academy of Fine Arts in 1996 and earned his Master of Fine Arts (MFA) from the Academy of Arts & Design, Tsinghua University in 2009. Since 2002, he has been teaching in the Sculpture Department at the College of Fine Arts, Shenyang University. He currently lives and works between Vancouver and Shenyang.

Rooted in traditional Chinese philosophy and cultural heritage, Gao Feng’s sculptural language actively engages with contemporary issues and global aesthetics. Guided by the principle of “encountering the ancients, the West, the divine, and the people,” his practice blends classical thought with modern sensibility.

His materials—ranging from bronze and paper to mixed media—are not merely technical choices, but conceptual tools. Through refined craftsmanship and philosophical depth, Gao explores themes such as cultural continuity, spiritual introspection, identity, and the tensions between tradition and innovation.

Gao Feng’s works often reflect a contemplative quality, combining symbolic form with poetic abstraction. His approach invites viewers to reflect on the relationship between material and soul, the ancient and the present, the East and the West.

His major series include Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism, A Changed World, Lotus Emerging, Studies on Appropriationism, and Diving in the Sea, Soaring in the Sky. His work has been exhibited in China, Canada, and internationally, and is held in both public and private collections.

Through decades of teaching and artistic exploration, Gao Feng has become an influential figure in bridging traditional Eastern values with contemporary artistic discourse.