Mention Liu Xiaodong and one thinks of the movement known as New Generation Art. Brought under the spotlight by art critics in the early 1990s, this trend in the art world signified the end of the ’85 New Wave Movement as well as the corresponding discussions about “absolute principles,” “universal soul,” and the other lofty ideas that defined that earlier movement. Artists were eager to shift their focus from the grand questions of humanity to the current conditions of their individual lives, from the sublime of spiritual life to the prosaic goings-on of everyday life, from the gaze of a bird’s eye view to close-up observation. Precisely because of this shift, the paintings of Liu Xiaodong from the early 90s became representative of New Generation Art. Although it may appear as though Liu’s paintings use the language of realism to portray the mundane nature of daily life, in examining the subjects in his paintings – subjects who are overcome with boredom – we as the viewer not only discover the mood of the artist himself, but the atmosphere of boredom that he creates becomes the very takedown of social realism’s “typical” subjects and “typical” people. Liu’s interest lies in the exploration of life itself. He says, “I enjoy discovering scenes within ordinary life. I choose scenes that engage my curiosity.”

2004 marked a transition in the methods of creation and concepts behind Liu’s works. Deviating from his previous compositions, Liu began to place his subjects against the larger backdrop of society. During the process of this transition, painting from life began to play an important role, yet Liu’s method does not resemble traditional methods of painting from life, which were frequently done in the studio, quiet, undisturbed, facing a still life or a model. Instead, Liu frequently chooses to work in large, social settings, transforming still life into a type of action. In fact, the process by which he depicts the live scene is also the very process of his observation of social reality and of the attitudes and moods by which we exist. Liu’s objective is to present the real lives of average people within real environments. Painting from life on the one hand allows the artist to avoid the addition of grand narratives as well as the nonobjective process of “post-production”; and on the other hand, it allows the artist the most direct, authentic, and intimate way to access details. This method, however, does not obstruct the active role of the artist. On the contrary, the artist acts as agent in deciding what type of live scene to capture, what subjects to depict, these choices loyally communicating Liu’s attitudes. He says, “Through painting, I can express a perspective. And that’s all. I don’t have the right to change any of it. All I have is a perspective, I can’t do anything else. This is different from traditional painting from life – I possess a value system, a world view…I want to appear right at the scene where social problems are manifested.”

Liu’s 2009 work Family Party (Lot 13) prompts the viewer to recall Liu’s 2006 large-scale, representative piece Warm Bed No. 2, painted from life in Bangkok. In the work, Liu depicts about ten female prostitutes in different postures, the disorderly scenery seemingly pointing to their disorderly lives. Family Gathering, on the other hand, presents a warmer scene. Five young women are depicted with extremely relaxed postures, surrounded by warm colour tones and soft toys. The atmosphere of the scene is almost like that of a joyous and harmonious family gathering. But, an ashtray in the foreground, the women’s revealing clothes, and their careless body language also point to something a little less innocent. These women seem to be waiting for something, and in the scene’s warmth, there seems to be an inexplicable yet dark ambiguity. This sort of careful directness is the very representation of the artist’s position. He has frozen this image on the canvas for the viewer. Although in the process the artist does not make any value judgment and leaves the viewer to interpret the painting, it is this very subtle balance between being present yet detached that reveals both human nature and the reality of life. Also, the ambiguity in the painting dances across the slightly cold and indifferent faces of the subjects. To be able to capture these expressions while painting from life – a method that leaves little room for intentional planning – the artist must be quick in his observation, and swift and confident in his brushstrokes. Liu’s paintings are thus a testament to his excellent technique. Baudelaire in his writings on modern aesthetics once expressed his admiration for “the artist who depicted modern life.” Art critic Karen Smith has since used this title in praising Liu Xiaodong’s insight into modern life. From this perspective, Liu’s works in the 21st century have long since transcended the boundaries of New Generation Art and have taken on deeper and more far-reaching meanings.

Zhao Bandi (b. 1966), Pink Kiss, 1996, Oil on canvas, 174.7 x 80.5 cm. Est. RMB 2 – 3 million / US$322,000 – 483,000
Zhao Bandi’s works from the early 1990s are primarily dominated by classical realist oil paintings; Pink Kiss from 1996 is his memorial to history as well as the final chapter of his ‘Classical Period’. In this work, Zhao portrays the moment of a kiss shared in Tiananmen Square by a young couple whose expressions display total immersion with the atmosphere. Yet the piece diverges from that of traditional oil painting in terms of visual perspective. The couple is placed at the very periphery of the viewer’s gaze, while the pink-hued Tiananmen Square and portrait of Mao at the background emerge as the real subjects of this work. The iron fence between the couple and Tiananmen Square is suggestive of their estrangement. While the imagery appears to be realist in style, what this work contains far transcends the classical realism objective of accurate portrayal – in this way, the essence of the avant-garde.

Zhao Bandi (b. 1966), Pink Kiss, signed in Chinese, executed in 1996, framed, oil on canvas 174.7 by 80.5 cm.; 68 ¾ by 31 ¾ in. Estimation 2 – 3 million RMB (US$322,000 – 483,000). Photo: Sotheby's

Provenance: Acquired directly from the artist by the present owner

Litterature: Reality: Present and Future, '96 Chinese Contemporary Art, Sungari, Beijing, 1996, pl.13

Pink Kiss  – The Final Chapter of Zhao Bandi’s “Classical Period”

Mention Zhao Bandi, and people reflexively think of the “Panda series,” an image that has been attached to Zhao since 1996, when Zhao experimented with using the panda as the subject of a series of artworks. Adopting the symbol of the panda, Zhao’s works have long since transcended the category of contemporary art and crossed over into other realms such as public service and film. The recognition that Zhao receives in association with the “Panda series” is so far-reaching that the public often forgets that, in the early 90s, Zhao emerged in the industry as a classical realist oil painter, the “Panda series” marking the end of his “classical period.” The few oil paintings of his that are in circulation today, then, are considered all the more rare. This body of Zhao’s oeuvre makes evident the artist’s possession of both self-awareness and intentionality in his creative process. The current work,Pink Kiss (Lot 6) , which was completed in 1996, undoubtedly marks a significant moment along the path of his creative exploration.

Zhao graduated from the Central Academy of Fine Arts, Oil Painting Studio No. 1 under the tutelage of Chinese realist oil painting master Jin Shangyi. The fundamentals of solid form and meticulous style were thus deeply ingrained in Zhao’s works from the very beginning. As he sees it, these are signature signs of a “classical sensibility.” Even early on, Zhao and his artwork were the focus of attention. His creations first appeared in Beijing in 1991, and although he employed classical techniques, he infused in them avant-garde elements that immediately received highly critical acclaim as well as the validation of the Western art world. In 1993, Zhao was the only Chinese realist painter to be featured in the German-sponsored Chinese Avant-Garde Exhibition Tour in Europe. At the time, Dutch curator and scholar Hans van Dijk stated that Zhao’s work “persuasively expressed the true feelings and experience of the individual, a quality lacking in Chinese art.” This type of acclaim both created opportunities for Zhao’s work to appear in international exhibitions, such as the Venice Biennale, as well as brought him to the attention of an increasing number of academic institutions.

Studying Pink Kiss, it is not difficult to understand the assessment made by van Dijk. In the painting, Zhao portrays the moment of a kiss shared by a young couple before Tiananmen Square. Their expressions of total immersion and intoxication as well as the details of the composition, the brushstrokes, and physical appearance of the subjects display the artist’s rigorous academic training and simple, natural form. Yet the painting diverges from that of traditional oil painting in terms of visual perspective. The couple is placed at the very periphery of the viewer’s gaze, while the pink-hued Tiananmen Square and portrait of Mao in the background emerge as the real subjects of the work, the iron fence between the couple and Tiananmen Square suggesting further estrangement. Tiananmen Square has been an important theme in a few of Zhao’s works, and the full, white skirt worn by the young woman points to another of Zhao’s works, Butterfly, recently sold by Sotheby’s at auction. Zhao describes this series as the most representative of all his works from the 90s, explaining, “the social events of that time deeply affected and moved me. Following Butterfly, I painted two more variations. This series of three was unprecedented, and I embedded in them the sadness of my formative years.” Exactly as van Dijk noted, Zhao had infused in his paintings the true feelings of the individual, and in this lay the essence of the avant-garde. Although superficially the image appears to be realist in style, what it contains far transcends the classical realism objective of accurate portrayal, as well as the social realist tendency to use art as an ideological tool, which has been dominant since the founding of the People’s Republic. In Pink Kiss, social events of the past are transformed into metaphor and are not so much the artist’s attempt at displaying these events but rather, the pain and anguish of the artist are condensed into a memorial of the event. Compared to the desolation and hopelessness of Butterfly, however, Pink Kiss from 1996 contains more tones of tenderness and romanticism, as if it declares the artist’s liberation from sadness and marks the beginnings of the his new, somewhat joking style that we see in the “Panda series.” Since then, Zhao has not picked up a paintbrush. Pink Kiss is thus his memorial to history as well as the final chapter of his “Classical period.”

Zhou Chunya (b. 1955), Rock and Clouds, 2003, Oil on canvas, 360 x 220 cm. Est. RMB 5 – 9 million / US$805,000 – 1.45 million
Zhou Chunya integrated his two kinds of artistic experiences – of European Expressionism and traditional Chinese literati painting, to create the Mountain Rocks series. Executed in 2003, Rock and Clouds is a representative work from this renowned series. This work is experimental in its use of colour and texture: a light-brown rock's malachite-green facets remind viewers of ‘moss dots’ found in traditional Chinese landscape paintings, echoing a few bright-red highlights scattering on the canvas. The purposeful adoption of wash-heavy brushwork also adds a sense of mystery to the painting.

Zhou Chunya (b. 1955), Rock and Clouds, signed in Chinese and Pinyin, dated 2003, framed, oil on canvas, 360 by 220 cm.; 141 ¾  by 86 ¿ in. Estimation 5 – 9 million RMB (US$805,000 – 1.45 million). Photo: Sotheby's

Provenance: Beijing, Poly, May 29, 2009, Lot 1269
Private Collection, Asia

Litterature: A History of Art in Twentieth-Century China, Beijing University Press, Dec 2006, p.1064
Hong Lei ed., Zhou Chunya, Timezone 8, Beijing, China, 2010, p. 447