Sun Xun’s films are predominantly monochromatic, highly detailed hand-drawn animations. The works investigate the construction and narration of history. His recent film “21 KE (21 GRAMS)” (2010) has had its world premiere at the new “Orizzonti” section at the 67th Venice International Film Festival. This was the first Chinese animation film premiered at the Venice Film Festival.

Animated works include: “Clown’s Revolution” (2010), “Beyond-ism” (2010), “21 KE (21 GRAMS)” (2010), “People's Republic of Zoo” (2009), “New China” (2008), “Coal Spell” (2008), “Requiem” (2007), “Heroes No Longer” (2007), “Lie” (2006), “Mythos” (2006), “Lie of Magician” (2005), “A War About Chinese Words” (2005).  

Works such as “21 KE”, “Magician’s Lie” and “Requiem” feature a key protagonist; a magician dressed in a black suit and a high top hat. The magician has been in search of another world, probably a utopia. Over the course of this character’s expedition, the sequences are dream like and apocalyptic. Sun’s works explore themes of societal development and revolution, referencing such theorists as Marx, Adorno, and Horkheimer.

For Sun’s most recent work “21 KE (21 GRAMS)”, the artist provides this synopsis:  
“This world has no specific time; we live in vanity. This is a confusing world. There’s no law, no rule, and the lie dominates everything. There’s lying and being lied to only. Telling a lie is morally condemned everywhere, but a magician is the only exception. When people feel lost, they mortgage their souls, and pin their hopes on magicians. Yes, magicians are the authority! A lie is the truth! And it’s cheap!”

Sun Xun also exhibits his individual cell drawings and other mixed media works, sometimes alongside his films. His series of small mixed media works titled “Shock of Time" (2006) challenged notions of time, history and narration and utilized media such as newspapers, books and other documentary material that served to highlight certain passages of history.  

Sun Xun was born in 1980 in Fuxin in Liaoning province, China. He currently lives and works in Beijing. He graduated in 2005 from the Print-making Department of the China Academy of Fine Arts. In 2006 he established π Animation Studio. During 2010 he has received several notable awards including the “Chinese Contemporary Art Awards (CCAA Best Young Artist)” and “Taiwan Contemporary Art Link Young Art Award”.

Recent solo exhibitions include: Clown's Revolution, Holland Animation Festival, Center Museum, Utrecht, Netherlands (2010); 21KE, Minsheng Art Museum, Shanghai (2010); The Soul of Time, Kunsthaus Baselland, Basel, Switzerland (2010); Animals, Max Protetch Gallery, New York, U.S.A (2009); People’s Republic of Zoo, University of Essex Gallery, U.K.(2009); His Story, ShanghART H-Space, Shanghai (2009); The New China, Hammer Museum, Los Angeles, U.S.A(2008); etc. Recent group exhibitions include: By Day By Night or Some (Special) Things a Museum Can Do, Rockbund Art Museum, Shanghai (2010); China Power Station – Part 3, Pinacoteca Agnelli, Torino, Italy (2010); Aichi Tiennale 2010, Aichi, Japan (2010); 2009 Ars Electronica Festival, Linz, Austria; etc.