Apocalypse in Oils: Jia Aili's dark take on the rise of China

Combining contemporary art with the traditional figurative style of the Old Masters, Aili's work conveys a sense of morbid fascination with the technological progress and drastic changes in China over the past 50 years. His epic, visionary paintings typically centre around isolated, masked figures in the midst of merciless, apocalyptic surroundings, conveying a brutally intense sense of alienation from the modern world.

Now a new book is bringing together his best work from recent decades. Published by Hatje Cantz, Stardust Hermit, Aili’s first monograph, depicts a futuristic scenario in which humankind is merely a fleeting episode.