Oil on canvas

35 x 56.5 cm. 13 3/4 x 22 1/4 in.

Signed in Chinese and dated on reverse
PROVENANCE
Important Private Collection, Asia

Walking Spirit
The Highland Painting of Ding Fang
To Ding Fang, the prospects of Chinese art rely on the construction of ‘Artistic Spirit'. The first time he stepped into the Loess Plateau in 1980, he was fascinated by the extensive human landscape and found the source of his art residing in the land. 30 years hitherto, Ding Fang set the Loess Plateau as the ground of his artistic creation, growing into one of the most influential Chinese contemporary artists in the 90s.
The artistic path of Ding Fang is marked by two ‘departures' and two ‘approaching'. The two works, Sunset （1986） and City Series No.5 （1987）, presented this time, are from the early 80s during which the artist departed from himself to approach the origin of art. The plateau architectures depicted in Sunset and the relic image of an ancient castle in City Series No.5 are the key features of his painting during this period, bearing multiple symbolic meanings. On the one hand, these images, resembling ancient art, carry the spirit of earth and co-exist with the plateau, fascinating the artist to seek traces of the integration of nature's splendor into the national cultural spirit of thousands of years. On the other hand, the castle out of recognition stands for the declining culture, while still stay with the loess, intriguing profound thinking of the ultimate reason that leads to the termination of the link between nature and culture. Through the expressionist structural composition, rough brush strokes and thick overlapping of paints, these two works present imposing pictorial manner, conveying deep and calm spiritual force.

Price estimate:
HKD: 12,000 - 25,000
USD: 1,500 - 3,200

Auction Result:
HKD : 37,760