Acrylic on canvas

140 × 110 cm. 55 1/8 × 43 1/4 in.

Titled, signed in Chinese and dated on the reverse

LITERATURE
2007, If You Could Fly, Where Could You Go?, Timezone 8 Limited, Beijing, p. 36-37
EXHIBITED
12 May – 10 Jun 2007, If You Could Fly, Where Could You Go? – Wei Jia's Recent Works, Aura Gallery, Shanghai

PROVENANCE
9 Dec 2007, Rong Bao Beijing Autumn Auction, Lot 526
Acquired directly by present private Asian collector from the above

Confessions of Youth
An Early Representative Work of Wei Jia

"Through internalizing traditional techniques, Wei Jia's creations delicately observe the spiritual states of 'self' in real life, such as loneliness, solitude, confusion, resistance, and longing, using a circuitous and graceful manner. His creations explore a path of self-discovery – commemorating youth through bidding farewell to it and contemplating the meaning of youth... He shocks the viewers with his dissection of human nature. Among them, the increasingly immersive state of creation and the sharper insight into human nature are truly astonishing."
—— Feng Bo Yi, Prominent Chinese Art Critic

Born in 1975 in Chengdu, Wei Jia displayed an interest in painting from the age of three. His mother provided him with numerous books on Western art from the Renaissance to contemporary, and his father, who worked in the Sichuan Opera Theatre, took him to theatres, exposing him to the vibrancy and excitement of stage performances. These experiences nurtured his artistic endeavours. After gaining admission as the top student to the Middle School of Sichuan Fine Arts Institute and then graduating from the Printmaking Department of the Central Academy of Fine Arts in 1999, Wei Jia has consistently refused to be confined, always seeking to transcend the present. In 2003, he began experimenting with oil painting. In his creations, Wei Jia candidly confronts the "self", expressing his youth, observations of the world, and universal "human nature". In 2006, he held his debut solo exhibition An Uncivilized Spring, where his works were sold out. That same year, his work was featured on the cover of the inaugural issue of Hi Art, and in subsequent years, he was honoured with the Award of Art China - Young Artist of the Year. This marked the beginning of Wei Jia's reputation as a young artist. Nowhere to Run 3 presented in this autumn auction, represents a pivotal turning point in his artistic evolution.

A Breakthrough and Confrontation, the Monologue of Human Nature

"Painting is a projection of real life. I love the process of painting; life itself is a mix of pain and happiness."
—— Wei Jia

Observing Wei Jia's works, one can identify various series, each seems to be resembling a chapter of an opera, elucidating his thoughts. Starting from 2007, series like Say Goodbye and Nowhere to Run demonstrates his mastery of large-scale painting, grand ambitions, and full engagement in analyzing personal psyche and spirit from different angles. Among these, the extensive Nowhere to Run series, consisting of up to eight pieces, represents his earliest large-scale creations. Among them, Nowhere to Run 1 portrays a man in a diving suit standing at the edge of a cliff, with a monitor in the sky symbolizing the external world, and familial and societal judgements that bind one like a shackle. Here, his artistic language remains flat and composed, reflecting the rational design and arrangement from his training in printmaking. However, in Nowhere to Run 3, Wei Jia departs from this style by adding copious amounts of water and turpentine to his pigments, akin to the writing characteristics of Chinese ink painting or the automatism of Western artist Jackson Pollock. Through layers of brushstrokes saturated with green and red pigments, he intentionally retains a sense of spontaneous dripping. As viewers traverse the dark woods, a central figure is seen sitting alone in contemplation in the forest. Contrary to the earlier resolute despair, he introspects, looking within himself. This work reflects Wei Jia's psychological state during that period and touches on the loneliness of existence experienced by individuals in China's one-child generation, complex interpersonal relationships, and the process of growth. Wei Jia portrays this psychology while planting seeds of hope. Nature acts as the mother of the earth, offering protection. The blossoming red flowers in the foreground, through nearly abstract brushstrokes resembling flames, bring a hint of external warmth to the depicted individual. Similar to the concentrated yellow-green light source in Rembrandt's paintings, it illuminates the heart of the artwork, shining on the protagonist, showcasing a dramatic tension that allows one to see the brilliance of hope in a world of despair.

According to the artist, Nowhere to Run 3 is a significant transitional work in his creations. Through this piece, he "discovered new painting methods, allowing more collisions between water and pigments, resulting in uncontrollable accidents. It's like walking a tightrope, making me excited, making me work hard to conquer it, and leading me to an unknown open space." Through this, Wei Jia found a form of freedom in both his art and his mind.

Price estimate:
HKD 400,000 – 600,000
USD 51,300 – 76,900