The Weight of Lightness at Bluerider ART London unites three different artists’ approaches to the medium and purity of paper.
Through cutting and layering xuan paper, Cao Jigang’s work reflects the Three Perspectives principle of traditional Chinese ‘shan shui’ painting, consisting of High Perspective, Horizontal Perspective, and Deep Perspective. The deckled edges of the paper add an extra level of depth that feel natural and painterly.
For Angela Glajcar, paper is sculptural. Her torn, multi-layered assemblages – each revolving around a specific kind of paper – create visual experiences akin to looking through a cavern. Oftentimes, they move in real space, a side effect of the wind brushing past as the observer moves around the gallery.
Bay Tang Jiaxin, however, is my pick of the three. Using fine needles, she lifts and scrapes up individual fibres of the paper’s surface to create little patches of textured fuzziness. Reproductions don’t do them justice; you must see them in person, preferably with a magnifying glass. In these works, one can really appreciate the subtleties of light, contrast, and texture.
If you like materiality, this might be the show for you.
The Weight of Lightness (29 May – 27 July 2025) is at Bluerider ART London, https://blueriderart.com/en/
Nigel Ip 
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