“Une Simple Histoire” is an act of poetic resistance—an invitation to rediscover presence, simplicity, and meaning through sculpture, painting, and introspection.
Domenico de Chirico
Andrea Festa presents Une Simple Histoire, a two-person exhibition by Leo Orta and Xintong Gao, curated by Domenico de Chirico, on view from May 8 to June 20 2025. In response to a cultural landscape marked by relentless speed, fragmented information, and emotional detachment, this exhibition reclaims the value of simplicity as a radical act of authenticity and depth. Far from being minimal or reductive, simplicity here becomes a philosophical and poetic lens through which to re-encounter the essence of being.
Une Simple Histoire brings together the sculptural work of French artist Leo Orta and the paintings of Chinese artist Xintong Gao. While their practices emerge from distinct cultural and conceptual roots, both artists share a deep commitment to exploring existence as a mutable, layered, and mysterious phenomenon. Through form, color, and gesture, they invite viewers into a space of inner stillness, reflection, and sensory immersion.
Leo Orta’s sculptures explore metamorphosis, hybridization, and the interconnectedness of life. Working with materials that evoke both organic and industrial references, Orta reflects on biodiversity, human vulnerability, and the ecological crises shaping our time. Influenced by thinkers such as Heidegger and Andreas Weber, as well as artists like Henry Moore and David Altmejd, Orta creates emotionally charged forms that seem to pulse with life. These “lunar presences” speak of transformation, memory, and survival, provoking an intimate encounter with the viewer—one that transcends material boundaries.
In contrast, Xintong Gao’s paintings offer a spiritual counterpart: ethereal canvases rooted in Taoist philosophy and the interplay of emptiness and form. Through flowing brushwork and shifting color palettes, Gao channels the qi—the vital energy that animates all living things. His practice, which bridges Eastern tradition and Western abstraction, invites contemplation of the invisible energies that shape our world. The “Cyberbamboo” and “Untitled” series immerse the viewer in painterly landscapes that function as soul-portraits, drawing on the Shan shui tradition and philosophies of Wu Wei and Yin-Yang.
Together, the works of Orta and Gao form a multisensory dialogue—between sculpture and painting, permanence and impermanence, matter and spirit. Une Simple Histoire is not merely an exhibition; it is an invitation to slow down, observe, and reflect. Through this poetic convergence, the show asks us to rediscover the invisible connections between the self, nature, and the world at large.
