Sodoma Xia

Biography

SODOMA-X is a 22-year-old photographer, digital artist and
NFT artist currently based in London. (She creates works)
about self-expression and self-acceptance. Most of her works
are pretty dark, but it is just how she works to integrate into her
shadow, accepting the aspects suppressed by her ego and
then maintaining continuity and individuality. Her works are infinite darkness. They are horrific but stylised nightmares.
Her works have recognizable high fantasy and satanic styles
with extraordinary and provoking colour grading, sophisticated
compositing, and exquisite details. They are emotionally provoking pieces, driving viewers into an infinite dark fantasy realm and making viewers forget reality.
'Weltschmerz' ( literally world-pain or world-weariness ) is the central concept of all her works. It is a literal concept describing the feeling experienced by an individual who believes that reality can never satisfy the mind's expectations, resulting in a mood of weariness or sadness about life arising from the acute awareness of evil and suffering.
Traditional photography and fascination with new technology (Stable Diffusion and Programme coding are also of great inspiration to me who then challenge myself in manipulating my media to combine this visually. The works in this exhibit feature a range of photography and new technology manipulation techniques, various types of processed colour grading and compositions.

Exhibitions and Features:
-Contemporary Art Collectors (2023)
-Fira Internacional d'Art de Barcelona 2023
-PIAB 2023 Awards (Barcelona International Art Awards) nomination
-Art Fair Tokyo | Tokyo Tower Art Fair (TTAF) (March 2023)
-CANVAS International Art Fair 2023 (10th April, Venice, Italy)
-Metropolitain Paris Exhibition (18-23 Oct, 2023)
-European Photography Award (EPA) ( Fine Art Photography-Golden Winner)
(2022)
-BBA Gallery ( Feature-The Pick of The Day) (2022)
-The Holy Art Gallery (Group Exhibition) (2022)
-The Art Number23 Gallery ( Group Exhibition) (2021)
-DAZED DIGITAL (2021)
-PHOTO VOGUE (2022)

What’s your background?

-I came to the UK 2 years ago alone. After the first semester, I stopped going to art university when I realized I can’t find anything I want at university. In the beginning, I did various jobs in the fashion industry and self-taught photography and image-making. I was born in conventional cultural background, which deviated from my personality that always seeks freedom, madness, excitement and danger. I had a suppressed and painful childhood due to my social background, though I have an open-minded family. After I came to London, I’m attracted by the nightlife which shapes me. My image-making skills made a huge step forward when I was at a post-production and creative studio. I developed and pushed my visual language in the meanwhile. Since I was little, I was attracted by Greek mythology and Catholic paintings, which still affects some of the details of the personas of my artworks today.

What does it mean to you to win the Collectors Art Prize?

-It’s my honor to be recognized as one of the artists whose practices are among the most innovative and influential of our time. Collector Art Prize is extremely crucial and it brings me courage to go further in my career. It’s risky and challenging when pushing the boundaries and being a step in front of the present. I really appreciate it and it’s a memorable moment in both my career and life. It’s a monument and it’s also a beginning.

What do you think is the role of art in the world today?

- The art is challenging connections to find ways of exploring new journeys. There is an explosion of new mediums, and changes in culture, politics, and societies. Art documents these rapid and subversive changes from both individual and collective perspectives. The arts are evolutionary and revolutionary.

What would it be if you could change one thing about the art world?

-’Where are you from.’ Unless artists admit that their origins are an important influence on their art practice in advance, I hope the art world could avoid making it into a necessary question and take it into account when making the judgment. However, it’s dilemmatic because when it’s known, it’s taken into consideration unconsciously. Stereotypes, assumptions and some associated factors will be added when viewers interpret the artworks, which deviate the original meaning behind the art pieces.

What are your most significant professional achievements?

- European Photography Award 2022 ( Fine Art Category-Golden ) and Collector Art Prize. The first one approves my photography practice and the second one gives wider and further recognition to my arts practices. It’s my honor and pleasure.

What do you wish to tell viewers about your work that might not come out explicitly? What do you hope to inspire with your artwork?

- I mix the images in my nightmare with the trauma through sophisticated compositing.I created Aquarium based on the dream, in which I cut off my legs and arms with a small knife and my Thalassophobia. However, I still love diving and swimming because I enjoy the that strong emotion when I get close to sea. My visual feature, exquisite details, is inspired by music. I always remember the feelings I get when I catch the intensive, fast, repetitive and dark beats on the dance floor. I feel when dancing. It’s a kind of meditation status. I transform the parts of sound I resonate with the most into part of visual features-the exquisite details. Also, Steven Klein’s works touch me a lot. I’m fascinated by them. I hope to have opportunities to work with those artists whose works inspire me in the future. I made the piece of work Gluttonous based on my experience in the industries. Talent is consumed like a feast. People urge to despoil it, tear it apart, and consume it even if it doesn’t belong to them, driven by greed and jealousy.

What advice would you give to the upcoming generation of artists?

-Be honest with yourself, and be brave. Your works are the reflection of who you are and nobody knows it better than yourself. Also, it’s a long way to explore and develop your own signature. It’s a hard and painful journey because it feels like peeling off the skin layer by layer until the bones are. Go as far as possible and expand your visions when young. Also, be brave. On the way, there are many oppressed, unequal situations, and critiques. Opportunities never come easily and when it comes, catch them and appreciate them. Some kind and wise people can guide you and give you helpful advice and some people just fuck up your vision, while it’s crucial to distinguish them. When you fall, the world is still cycling which may make you feel lost. Always remember who you truly are and what you desire in your life.

In what direction would you like to see your career go in the next five years?

- Fine art is one of my continuous paths. There is more freedom in self-expression than in other forms. I will continuously participate in competitions, art fairs, and exhibitions. I hope to push my work to the next level.

I’m also considering art residence opportunities in Germany, the US and France. Getting closer to what inspires me and shapes my vision. Besides fine art practice, I hope to get opportunities to work with my favourite artists who inspire me. Unexpected inspirations come from collaborations among the right people a lot.

Country United Kingdom

Website https://linktr.ee/SODOMAX