Paolo Peng Shuai

Born in Xiangtan, China, in 1995, Peng Shuai Paolo moved to Reggio Emilia in 2004 and then to Milan—where he still lives—to attend the Brera Academy. He draws on his personal experience to explore themes such as cosmopolitanism, the coexistence of humans and the environment, and the burdens and opportunities presented by traditions.

After his early works, in which he reflected on his condition as a “stranger everywhere” and on the history of European art, he began a continuous process of collecting and salvaging abandoned tools, seeds, and plants—objects that come together to form a collection of “material culture.”

The Oltrepò Pavese region is one of his primary areas of exploration, chosen as a significant example of cultural intersections and layers of history. Most of his creations emerge from this evolving archive, which also includes drawings and paintings. This includes his installations—heterogeneous yet paradoxically harmonious—compositions that connect different eras and cultures, as well as personal and universal stories.

Text by Stefano Castelli