Chubby Women series sculpture Ride On is on display at the Trent Park Equestrian Centre in London. [Photo/Global Times]

The modern age seems to be an era dominated by slim beauties. Almost everyone is chasing after a lean toned body. On the other hand, Xu Hongfei, a famous Chinese sculptor and current president of the Guangzhou Sculpture Academy, has dedicated his entire life to the worship of chubby women, especially those with joyful and lively personalities.

"Why is being chubby always associated with ugliness? I want to restore the beauty of their nature," the slim sculptor sporting a well-styled mustache told the Global Times on November 25 at the Trent Park Equestrian Centre in London, the new home for his creation Ride On. Depicting a chubby woman riding a horse at a galloping pace, the sculpture emphasizes the emotional connection between rider and her mount.

Ride On is one of 15 cheerful Chubby Women sculptures that have been on display near London Bridge since June. Xu has earned considerable popularity for this series, which explores the daily life of people in China in a lively way.

By putting "chubby" and "beauty" together, Xu demonstrates a very different aesthetic taste that challenges the world's definition of beauty. Since his exhibition started its world tour in 2013, he has traveled with his chubby beauties across the globe, with London being one of the many stops along the way.

Pleasantly plump

Xu is fond of the "simple, ordinary and everyday pleasures" where his Chubby Women find happiness. He depicts these women as joyful, simple, energetic and cultured characters.

Lovers of traditional art and history may notice that his Chubby Women series recalls the heydays of the Tang Dynasty (618-907), when pleasantly plump court ladies were considered the epitome of beauty and were represented everywhere, in paintings, sculpture and poetry.

Xu created his first Chubby Women figure back in 1999, an inspiration he attributes to a visit to his workshop by master artist Huang Yongyu that same year. During the visit Huang was very impressed by one of Xu's newly finished sculptures depicting a very plump woman.

Huang encouraged Xu to keep moving in this direction to express his creativity, and from that moment Xu's fate became forever intertwined with these Chubby Women sculptures.

"My Chubby Women are lively characters with a sense of humor. Most of the time, they tell stories about life, love, and family. These are pleasurable themes, which are universal throughout the world," explained Xu, adding that he views the art of sculpture as a global language able to bridge cultural gaps.

"Sculptures in art galleries tend to be distant and out of reach. I want viewers to get closer to my sculptures and interact with them," Xu said, adding that both the themes and the way he exhibits his statues are very approachable.