Oil on canvas

81 × 76 cm. 31 7/8 × 29 7/8 in.

Signed in English and dated on bottom right
EXHIBITED
18 Nov - 18 Dec 2021, Scott kahn, Almine Rech Gallery, Paris

PROVENANCE
Almine Rech Gallery, Paris
Important Private Collection, Asia

The Unceasing Pulse of Life in the Winter
The Eternal Universe of Scott Kahn

Renowned American artist Scott Kahn was born in 1946 in Massachusetts. His works are known for presenting highly atmospheric surreal landscapes through personal memories, experiences, and emotions. Even the most ordinary scenes in his creations manifest theatrical, irresistibly attractive, and thought-provoking qualities. Kahn has been drawing considerable attention in recent years: all of his exhibitions held in collaboration with the Almine Rech Gallery in Paris and solo exhibitions at the Harper Levine Gallery in New York over the past two years have completely sold out, breaking his personal auction records multiple times. The debut of Tree of Life in this auction is a unique and highly expressive masterpiece, marking the soaring trajectory of his artistic career with profound meaning.

The Cycle of Life, the Wilderness of Homeland

The artist ingeniously constructs a mystical and surreal illusion on the foundation of reality——a towering tree dominates the centre, shedding its leaves in the cold season, leaving only bare branches vigorously reaching upward. Countless small branches extend from the trunk, quietly awaiting the arrival of spring after the snow melts. The semi-melted snow traces on the ground radiate outward from the centre of the tree in a pattern resembling an ever-repeating concentric circle, symbolizing the unceasing cycle of life and foreshadowing the seasons’ recurrence. The accumulating clouds in the sky echo the melting ice on the ground, reminiscent of the elongated clouds in the works of surrealist master Rene Magritte. The composition, with winding and organic lines, enlarged central focus as if through a fisheye lens, and a subdued background, pays homage to the surrealist master. Kahn uses delicate colours to enhance the atmosphere, allowing viewers to feel as if they are strolling by the tranquil lakeside into the woods on a winter day, experiencing the grandeur of nature and the pulsation of life.

The Tree of the Universe, the Eternity of Spirit

The artwork is titled Tree of Life, originally rooted in Islam and later adopted by multiple cultures and regions. In Chinese Taoism, the "Tree of Life" blooms and bears fruit every three thousand years, and consuming its fruit is believed to grant "eternal life". In Western Christianity, the "Tree of Life" appears in the Genesis of the Bible as the "source of eternal life and reincarnation" in the Garden of Eden, from which Eve and Adam were expelled, denying them proximity to it. It is evident that in both Eastern and Western cultures, the "Tree of Life" carries the meaning of "sacred and eternal". Kahn explores life with his brush, connecting nature with inner spirituality, experiencing a certain soulful touch and spiritual satisfaction. Through this, he freezes finite scenes onto the canvas, crystallizing them into an eternal flow of time, leaving an endless aftertaste!

Price estimate:
HKD: 1,200,000 - 1,800,000
USD: 153,300 - 229,900

Auction Result:
HKD: 1,440,000