Qiu Ja was born in Shanghai, China in 1977. He obtained his Master’s degree from the Shanghai Academy of Fine Arts, Shanghai University in 2004. In 2015, he visited the Royal College of Art in London as a visiting scholar. He currently works and lives in Shanghai. Qiu Ja uses various media, such as ready-made objects, cement, wood, plaster, resin, and clay, to explore the fundamental question of sculpture, which is the relationship between us and objects, as well as the most explicit way in which objects are created. By breaking things apart and reassembling them, Qiu Ja creates visual puzzles that overturn spatial oppositions and provide dimensions for the feeling of inner conflict. His work has always been characterized by its complex nature, inviting viewers to consider the relationship between the creative process and the form and function of his work.
Qiu Ja’s solo exhibitions and personal projects include “Exchange Notation,” at the MOCA Shanghai, MOCA Pavillion, Shanghai, in 2024; “Into what has been there——Qiu Ja,” at the Liu Haisu Art Museum, Shanghai, in 2018; “Rehearsal” at the Art Museum of Fine Arts College at Shanghai University, Shanghai, in 2018; and “Elemental Structures,” at the AroundSpace Gallery, Shanghai, in 2018. His works have been exhibited at important institutions such as China Art Museum, Shanghai, Fosun Art Center, MOCA Shanghai, Jing’an Sculpture Park, Suzhou Art Museum, China Sculpture Museum, and China Cultural Center in Brussels.