Acrylic and nylon collage on wood panel

140×177 cm. 55 1/8×69 3/4 in.

Signed in pinyin and dated on the reverse
EXHIBITED
8 – 12 Nov 2017, ART021 Shanghai Contemporary Art Fair 2017, Booth of Antenna Space, Shanghai

PROVENANCE
Antenna Space, Shanghai
Acquired directly by present private Asian collector from the above

Urban Symphony of Remembrance and Yearning
Han Bing's Memory City

"I transform things that would otherwise be overlooked or quickly forgotten into elements that intrigue and linger with me. It's my way of combating being inundated by overwhelming daily information."
— Han Bing

Born in Shandong in 1986, Han Bing is a prominent female artist in the contemporary art scene. She earned her bachelor's and master's degrees in oil painting from the Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing in 2008 and 2011 respectively, followed by a master's degree from Parsons School of Design in New York City in 2013. She has since signed with Antenna Space in Shanghai and has lived in Beijing, New York, and Los Angeles, and currently resides in Paris, enriching her life with cross-cultural experiences. Drawing inspiration from the complex urban transformations and architectural landscapes, Han skillfully utilizes oil painting and spray techniques to deconstruct ubiquitous imagery like posters, infusing elements of drama, science, and literature to express her emotions and observations. Her visually provocative navigates between abstraction and figuration, countering information overload while capturing her impressions and scenes of cities through painting. In 2021, her work Untitled X was acquired by the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), and in 2022, she was represented by the international gallery Thaddaeus Ropac, expanding her visibility to global collectors in the primary market.

City Pulse, Traces of Time

Her works often start with concrete forms, using stacked or collaged posters sprayed and overlaid with acrylic paint to create dynamic clashes of colourful blocks on canvas, imbued with delicate textures and unique allure. The featured piece Untitled, created in 2017 during her time in Los Angeles, marks a significant transition from figurative to abstract styles.

The irregular geometric blocks overlap and saturate each other, against a backdrop of deep blue and black, punctuated by specks of purple and bright orange starlight, evoking the poetic imagery of bustling yet serene sunset boulevards in Los Angeles. Layers of bright nylon fabric collages atop these elements, reminiscent of French Nouveau Réalisme artist Raymond Hains' fragmented poster collages, as noted by art critic Matthieu Jacquet. Han Bing creates a misty, mysterious ambience with layers of sprayed colours, ultimately presenting a smooth, intricate silk-screened texture. These elements, like the myriad hues of life's information, freely combine and transform on the canvas, freezing moments in time with nuanced brushstrokes and unexpected elements, invoking imaginations of life's multifaceted, converging beauties in a sincere yet abstract manner.

Price estimate:
HKD 120,000 – 180,000
USD 15,400 – 23,100

Auction Result:
HKD: -