Xue Mingde is a Chinese contemporary artist, born in the mid-20th century in Chongqing, and currently based in New York.

As one of the early pioneers in China’s contemporary art movement, Xue began his independent artistic practice in the late 1970s, operating outside institutional frameworks. Through self-organized exhibitions and open-air displays in Chongqing and Beijing, he initiated a highly personal exploration of artistic freedom during a time of cultural restraint.

His work is rooted in Expressionism, incorporating impressionistic approaches to light and color while emphasizing emotional intensity. Through dynamic brushwork and bold chromatic structures, Xue constructs a visual field that oscillates between perception and inner consciousness—reflecting both individual experience and broader historical sentiment. For the artist, painting is an enduring practice of freedom, sustained through a tension between form and idea.

Since relocating to New York in the 1990s, Xue has continued to develop his independent visual language within a cross-cultural context. His oeuvre embodies both the historical transformation of early Chinese contemporary art and an ongoing articulation of personal vision.