Oil on canvas

96 × 96 cm. 37 3/4 × 37 3/4 in.

PROVENANCE
Important Private Collection, Asia

Inquiring the Meaning of Existence through the Purest Illustrations

“When I look back at my destiny, I find that despite my young age, I fell the grandeur, depth, and vastness of the world. When I stand on the edge of the real world, I look downward and see an indescribable abyss. It is not a mirror image, it is reality.”

――Ouyang Chun

Ouyang Chun's source of inspiration has always been based on real life. Ouyang graduated from the Xi'an Academy of Fine Arts in 1995. Since his solo exhibition in Beijing Star Space in 2007, his works of a humorous and expressive style of painting have become differentiated and have stood out. He was then invited to host a solo exhibition at the Austrian National Gallery and the Yun Museum. His works were collected by Shanghai Long Museum, Shanghai Power Station of Art, Berlin Collectors Museum, and more.

There is always a strong rebellious adult characteristic embedded in his works that are dominated by childhood elements. Ouyang Chun creation is not merely about projecting a sweet innocent child, in fact, his works imply a sneering laugh at the mundane and pretentious real world, challenging the dishonest reality and inquiring about the meaning of the artist's own existence.

The Most Unforgettable Truth Imparted in the Glimmering Light

Firefly is an exemplary piece of Ouyang Chun consistent style. Heavy colours such as blue, red, green, and purple are interlaced in the background. A simplified human figure with only a few black hairs and a beard is featured as the protagonist of the painting. His legs are illustrated with white threads. His feet and tail are gleaming. Spreading his limbs, the protagonist is ready to embrace the uncertainties approaching his direction. The piece echoes a scene from the Austrian novelist Kafka's The Metamorphosis. In the story, Kafka writes, “One morning, when Gregor Samsa woke from troubled dreams, he found himself transformed in his bed into a horrible vermin.” Gregor Samsa's mysterious transformation is a metaphor for the loneliness of human nature and the unavoidable absurdities in life. In Ouyang Chun's piece, the protagonist is transforming into a firefly. While his transformation is absurd, his reincarnation into a firefly allows him to see the turbulent road ahead through his own glimmer. A witty and powerful statement that is memorable; a metaphor that is worthy of deep musings.

Price estimate:
HKD: 50,000 - 80,000
USD: 6,400 - 10,200

Auction Result:
HKD: 86,400