Acrylic and oil pastel on canvas

200 × 240 cm. 78 3/4 × 94 1/2 in.

Dated and signed in Chinese on bottom right
EXHIBITED
2 Mar – 7 Apr 2013, Wang Yuping: Taipei・Beijing, Eslite Gallery, Taipei
30 Apr – 3 May 2014, Art Beijing 2014, Eslite Gallery booth, Beijing

PROVENANCE
Eslite Gallery, Taipei
Acquired directly by present private Asian collector from the above

This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity issued by Taipei Eslite Gallery and signed by the artist

As Lifelong Camaraderie, as Enjoying the Prime of Life
Wang Yuping Captures the Exuberant Life of Dong Mengyang

Employing light and poetic brushstrokes, Chinese Contemporary artist Wang Yuping inserts warmth and dreamy essence into his daily observations of people, objects, and subjects. The muted but underlying bright colours conveys humanity and realism in a Ukiyo-e-like expression. Through composition, Wang invites viewers into his realm, with personal items that suggests a childlike interest. Since 1987, Wang's oeuvre began to develop through his academic study at the Central Academy of Fine Arts. With his inaugural exhibition at China National Museum of Fine Art, followed by major exhibitions at the Museum of History, Beijing, Venice Biennale, and San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, Wang has demonstrated his influential presence as China's “New Generation” representative.

Transcendent Brushwork on Portraiture

As a prolific painter, Wang insert descriptive characteristics into his portraitures. Utilizing qualities and techniques of oil paint, each specific subject or passenger is presented with smoothness and depth. Shading a person's gesture reveals a dynamic quality of themselves, to which highlights the role of each person in Wang's painting. In particular, Dong Mengyang, the founder of Art Beijing and longtime friend of Wang became an integral subject, as the artist saw an artistic and luminous essence and quality in Dong that has to be captured. Later, Dong was invited to Wang's studio and positioned as a model to capture the radiant quality. On a 240cm large canvas, paired with vibrant colours, idiosyncratic style, power, and gesture, the portraiture titled Dong Mengyang was completed in 2013. With personalized clothing, accessories, and setting, the portraiture certainly adds intimacy between the artist and the subject, and strongly emphasizes Wang's talent in humanizing his subjects.

With Humorous Beijing Flavor, Comes with Dashing Lifestyle

In a fashionable attire, Dong presents his character in a zebra-patterned jacket, rosy-red trousers, beige cow-boy hat, as well as dark sunglasses. Wang is able to capture the Contemporary Beijingers' aspect in Dong, who has 30 years of art industry experience in Beijing. In a seated position, Dong wears traditional Chinese style jacket, smokes Chunghwa and Yu-Xi brand cigarettes, with a colourful tiger parrot in the background, along with puffs of smoke derived from his cigarette. In an elongated posture of arms and legs, the relaxed, fashionable and humorous personality of Dong exemplifies. From an intimate portrayal of Dong, the painting not only highlights his high cultural background, but a spiritual quality with his mere presence. Furthermore, this is not only an ordinary portraiture of a friend, but a capture of ethos, expression, and essence.

A Person's Real Character Lies in His Free Spirit

Painted in a large canvas, the expressive and expansive brushwork on Wang's canvas demonstrates his confidence in capturing gestures. In spite of the large negative space coloured in beige, contrasted acrylic and oil bars were used as outliners. The lines could be perceived as guidance for the mind, which pairs with the puff of smoke that rises above his head. In addition, softness and opaque quality in oil bar plays a critical role in generating space around its subject. On the parrot, its yellowed feathers and red cheeks blends seamlessly, and develops an echo and gap between the microscopic space between the feathers, and the surrounding space. Paired with Dong's relaxed portraiture, who sits in a crochet blanket of flowery pattern and the exuberance of the bird, the painting elevates and transcends a graceful and elegant quality, along with a free spirit of Dong. While viewers only sees a depiction of Dong, it is indeed the composition by Wang that creates an illusion of memory and intimacy between viewers and Dong Mengyang. While Dong sits as a model, Wang masterfully captures his friend, to which unequivocally captures an honest and pure friendship between Wang and Dong; the painter and the model.

Price estimate:
HKD: 650,000 – 950,000
USD: 82,800 – 121,000

Auction Result:
HKD: 1,200,000