Echo Morgan (Xie Rong) – Bio
Echo Morgan, born Xie Rong, subverts notions of Chineseness and femininity through provocative, embodied art. Using her body as both canvas and medium, she creates action paintings and performative portraits with materials such as Chinese ink, red lipstick, coal, chlorophyll, and breast milk. Her Calligraphy on Face series, Vase Performance series, and Hair Painting have established distinct landmarks in contemporary ink art. Rooted in personal history, her work interrogates the body politic and ecofeminism, blending Eastern philosophy with Fluxus and action art to provoke reflection and dialogue.
Her performances integrate English narration with Chinese folk songs, challenging conventional ideas of beauty, power, and vulnerability. Trained at Sichuan Fine Arts Institute High School, Central Saint Martins, and the Royal College of Art, she collaborates with photographer Jamie Baker to create unique portraits that blur the boundaries between live action documentation and mark-making on photographs. Her portraits and action paintings have received international recognition, with works held in public collections including The Staatliche Museum in Berlin, The Ned, Soho House, Kensington Palace, and numerous private collections.
Beyond painting and performance, Morgan crafts intimate films and collaborates with musicians and movement artists, developing immersive, site-specific storytelling. Merging theatre with action art, she sees art as a healing force within communities. Her accolades include the Aesthetica Art Prize (2014) and the Chinese Arts Now Scratch Award (2019), and she was shortlisted for the Mother Art Prize (2022). As a lecturer and researcher, she has presented her work at institutions across the UK, US, and China, including Sotheby's Institute of Art, Glasgow School of Art, Central Saint Martins, Sichuan Fine Arts Institute, and the College Art Association. She has taught in the Performance pathway at the Royal College of Art and is currently a Senior Lecturer in Fine Art at Chelsea College of Arts.
Morgan lives in Dorking, Surrey, with her collaborator and husband, Jamie Baker, and their two sons, Tao and Zen.
