Artists: Pieter Obels - Feng Xiao-Min

Opera Gallery London presents ‘Pieter Obels | Feng Xiao-Min,’ a two-artist exhibition of new works pairing Pieter Obels’ Corten steel sculptures with Feng Xiao-Min’s atmospheric abstract paintings. Presented as part of London Gallery Weekend (5–7 June), this exhibition marks an important moment for both artists.

While both artists demonstrate a deep engagement with material, their approaches diverge. Obels’ practice is grounded in structure and physical presence, whereas Feng Xiao-Min’s work is ethereal and meditative. Working in different cultural and geographic contexts— Pieter Obels in Tilburg, the Netherlands, and Feng Xiao-Min in Fontainebleau, France—the works in the exhibition highlight each artist’s distinct practice, culminating in a balanced and complementary presentation.

Pieter Obels’ sculptural process can be seen as a study of balance, tension, and movement. Working primarily in Corten steel, he cuts and shapes the material while embracing its natural oxidation process. The resulting forms—often ribbon-like and seemingly suspended— challenge expectations of weight and mass, holding motion in a state of equilibrium. Without the use of models or preliminary designs, Obels’ intuitive studio practice often takes inspiration from the flowing curves and natural growth patterns of tree branches and botanical forms. “For me, [Corten steel] feels like clay. I try to take this hard, stubborn steel and form it into something soft, gentle, and organic.” Working in harmony with the material itself, Obels likens his sculptural process to a plant in the garden, stating, “It has its own way to grow.” His large-scale sculpture I Know the End, Let’s Dance (2024), will be installed adjacent to the gallery in Medici Courtyard for the duration of the exhibition.

In contrast, Feng Xiao-Min’s paintings examine the interplay of light, material, and perception. Through layered pigments and subtle tonal shifts, he creates compositions that hover between abstraction and landscape. Drawing on both Eastern philosophy and Western abstraction–and evoking a broad range of influences—from Chu Teh-Chun to J. M. W. Turner—his work encourages a slow, contemplative mode of viewing, placing emphasis on sensation and memory over representation. Referencing the process of Qing dynasty painter Shitao, Feng approaches painting and calligraphy as “two branches from the same root.”

“Since I come from a calligraphy background, that foundation helped me in mastering brushstrokes and spatial composition,” said Xiao-Min, adding, “my approach is to seek contemplation and poetry in my paintings.”

“Despite their different approaches, both artists engage with the idea of lightness in compelling ways,” said Giulia Lecchini, Deputy Director of Opera Gallery London. “Pieter Obels creates a sense of lightness against the physical weight of steel while Feng Xiao-Min’s paintings explore light through tonal variations in acrylic paint. We are delighted to present this dialogue between their practices during London Gallery Weekend.”