Chinese artist Yun-Fei Ji presents a new body of work in the exhibition “Riding the Tiger” at James Cohan Gallery in New York. The paintings draw on archetypes from Chinese folklore and the 16th-century novel *Journey to the West*, blending fantastical imagery with recognizable human scenes to explore the psychological and spiritual dimensions of migration. Works such as *The Sweep Up of Animal Spirits* and *The Round Up #1* directly reference the persecution of immigrants by government agencies, using symbols like tigers, buddhas, and livestock to critique power structures.
The exhibition matters because it uses historic and traditional Chinese narrative frameworks to address the urgent contemporary issue of migration in the United States, reaching a political fever pitch. By blurring the boundaries between reality and fantasy, Ji invites viewers to meditate on the macro and micro impacts of power on individuals and communities. The show demonstrates how ancient cosmologies can provide a fresh, empathetic lens for understanding modern political crises, reinforcing art’s role in social commentary.