Sheng Qi, B.1965

Acquired directly from the artist by the present owner

This work is unframed. Apart from a few specks of wear above the finger tips and to the tips of the impasto peaks, which are possibly inherent to the artist's working methods, this work is in good condition.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

To accurately draw one's own left hand has long been seen as a qualifying mark of an accomplished artist, but in the case of Sheng Qi, images of his four fingered left hand means infinitely more than that; they are the iconic works that sum up the entire life and œuvre of one of China's most celebrated contemporary artists.

Sheng Qi emerged in the 1980's as one of Beijing's key performance artists. Using himself as his artistic material he focused on the body as a lived existence of impulse and passion freed from the constraints of rational thought. The modest artistic freedom that was allowed in China during the 1980s came abruptly to an end with the events in Tiananmen Square in June 1989 leading the government to respond with reinforced suppression and state control. Sheng Qi, who took part in the protests, found himself forced to flee his country but before his departure he committed what could be read as an extreme act of performance art: he cut off the little finger on his left hand and buried it in Chinese soil so that a part of him would always remain in his homeland.

The present and previous lots portray the artist's left hand with a found image placed in his palm. When Sheng Qi places a found photograph in his mutilated hand, he is playing at the sudden rush of memories that is often evoked when one looks at a scar or an old photograph. A young boy with a Communist Party uniform and a propaganda image of a muscular party cadre are images of bygone times. With a sense of nostalgia they represent an era quickly dwindling away for the Chinese. In Sheng Qi's hand, their sense of naïve idealism contrasts with the bitter reality that led him to injure himself and therefore bcome startlingly sensitive and powerful examples of the artist's most poignant work.