in brief: world-renowned “chubby women” exhibition makes it to melbourne

Chinese sculptor Xu Hongfei has hit the streets of Melbourne with his exhibition of Chubby Women; an interactive, outdoor display of artworks designed to challenge the stereotypical image of beauty.

With consideration that ‘each person has the right to enjoy one’s own body’, Xu’s exhibition features brass, white marble and precious wooden depictions of gleeful women playfully dancing, skateboarding, surfing and generally enjoying life.

‘Using an oriental style, they are modelled on a universal language’, he says.

And as a collection that has grown to over 100 pieces since the late 1990s, these Chubby Women are ‘independent and live their lives with both purpose and enjoyment’, and were created with Xu’s philosophical stance on respect for the human body and ideals of what it means to be beautiful.

‘There are many women with these kinds of women in Australia. I want to give them confidence, a healthy, optimistic outlook, and represent very joyful aspects of everyday life,’ he says.

‘Anybody can make a skinny woman, but people won’t remember you. I wanted to make chubby women because it’s unique and special.’