Spray print on fiberglass

65.5 × 28 × 35 cm. 25 3/4 x 11 x 13 3/4 in.

Signed in Chinese, dated and numbered on the bottom

LITERATURE
2017, Benrui Huang, China National Photographic Art Publishing, Beijing, p.66-67
Edition: 5/36

EXHIBITED
3 – 25 Jun 2017, In the Name of Flower, Eslite Bookstore Suzhou Exhibition Hall, Suzhou (different edition)

PROVENANCE
Eslite Gallery, Taipei
Private Collection, Asia

This work is accompanied by a certification of authenticity issued by Taipei Eslite Gallery with signature from the artist

My Heart is Safe
Huang Benrui’s Spokesperson, Nini
Huang Benrui was born in Taiwan and graduated from the Department of Fine Arts in National Taiwan Normal University. She has lived in the United States since 1986 and holds a master’s degree from New York City’s School of Visual Arts. Huang first created her renowned bunny figure in 2009. According to the Chinese Zodiac, Huang Benrui’s mother is a Rabbit and her surname is Ni, leading Huang to name her protagonist Nini. Through Nini, she tries to show her thoughts and feelings. Her vivid, charming, and rich paintings illustrate the interaction between an individual and the macro world, immediately resonating with viewers’ hearts and catching the admiration of many collectors. Huang has held exhibitions at the 456 Gallery in New York and the Eslite Gallery in Taipei. The two works featured in this auction, Theory of Boredom and Pink Nini, were displayed in the Eslite Bookstore in Suzhou during Huang’s large-scale solo exhibition In the Name of Flower, catching the eyes of many.
The Body may be Weak, but the Heart Reaches for the Stars
In her creation, Huang Benrui often sets up some unique scenes for Nini in order to show her different attitudes toward life. The painting Theory of Boredom (Lot 764) depicts Nini floating on the surface of a body of water, reflecting the concept of integration with nature. As Nini is relaxing, her body resembles the white clouds in the sky above her. On the other hand, she is reminiscent of duckweed, with no fixed position, rather free and unrestrained, giving the viewer a sense of tranquility and showing an open-minded air about life.
Truth Revealed through Dialogue with Nini
Influenced by her husband, a sculptor, Huang Benrui began in 2014 to also use sculpture as a medium. Nini was no longer just a character in painting; she had gained a three-dimensional shape. The work Pink Nini (Lot 763) is simple in terms of shape and pure in terms of temperament. Her calm eyes seem to be able to read people’s minds, and the gentle pink hue adds a feminine feel to her, encouraging viewers to approach and confide the secrets of their hearts to her. Nini never fails to emit an intrigued resonance and seems to be able to comfort inner pain. She gives the feeling that she is talking to those who come to her and that viewers can benefit from her soft heart and earnest thoughts.

Price estimate:
HKD: 30,000 - 50,000
USD: 3,800 - 6,400

Auction Result:
HKD: 141,600