Acrylic on canvas

54.7 × 59.7 cm. 21 1/2 × 23 1/2 in.

Signed in Chinese and English, and dated on the bottom of the canvas edge

LITERATURE
2015, Fan Yang Tsung, AKI Gallery, Taipai, p. 74
EXHIBITED
4-26 May 2013, Under 38°C Solo Exhibition by Fan Yang-Tsung, AKI Gallery, Taipai

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

Blazing Sun, Water Boom: the Lingering Gaze
Fan Yang-Tsung’s Ballet of the Pool

Born in 1982, Fan Yang-Tsung carved a niche for himself in the art world with a bachelor’s and master’s degree from the Taipei National University of the Arts, followed by his inaugural solo exhibition in 2005. His oeuvre predominantly draws upon various "spaces" within urban life. His collections, which include series themed around Nightclub, Car Interior, and Swimming Pool, have been exhibited. His refreshing perspective and vivid portrayal of scenes have garnered fervent acclaim from collectors both domestically and abroad. His works have been acquired by prestigious institutions such as the El Segundo Museum of Art and the National Taiwan Museum of Fine Art.

The Ineffable Public Privacy

In his most celebrated Swimming Pool series, the artist shatters the conventional practice of the "female gaze," opting instead to zoom in on the male bathers amidst the sultry heat of summer pools. He captures the fleeting tableau of splashing water, crafting a direct yet ambiguous atmosphere that provokes a sense of curiosity and voyeurism towards the bare-chested figures against the well-defined boundaries of the public pool.

Swimming Pool Series - Diving represents an early iconic work in the series . The piece boldly enlarges and concentrates on the details of a male swimmer's features, with the tan lines on his nose and the warm hues of his skin evoking the intense midday sun. The artist skilfully depicts the underwater vista through the refraction of goggles, leaving the viewer to speculate about his expression while hinting at a secret, voyeuristic glimpse. The disparity in the refraction of the left and right lenses ingeniously constructs a visual dynamic between zooming in and out, highlighting the work with the image of another bronze-skinned male protagonist. The two figures, amidst the chiaroscuro of openness and obscurity, movement, and stillness, gazing and being observed, articulate the ineffable nature of human connections.

Price estimate:
HKD: 70,000 - 150,000
USD: 8,900 - 19,200

Auction Result:
HKD: 228,000