Liu Ye

Tomio Koyama Gallery, Tokyo
Acquired by the present owner from the above in April 2005

Exh. Cat., Kunstmuseum Bern, Liu Ye, February - April 2007, pp. 112-113, illustrated in color
Xu Lei, ed., Artists of Today, Hebei, 2006, p. 6, illustrated in color

This work is in very good condition overall. There is evidence of light wear and handling located mostly along the four corner edges. There are a few scattered spot liquid accretions which fluoresce brightly under ultraviolet light. Under ultraviolet light inspection there is no evidence of restoration. Unframed.
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.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Liu Ye's quixotic paintings are an extraordinary amalgam of imaginative reality. They possess a distinctly unique style, subtly reference "pulp noir" and pay homage to classical Chinese landscape tradition. His aesthetic is born from the reality of his own experience of growing up during China's Cultural Revolution as the son of an author and illustrator of children's books. Through his depiction of seemingly cute, cartoon-like characters, placed in fantastical monochromatic backgrounds, Ye is able to rearrange childhood memories into different contexts to create a sort of fantasy world for the viewer to experience.  His father was an author and illustrator of children's books, whose own ambitions were thwarted by Mao Zedong's policy of forcing intellectuals to do manual labor. As books were banned under China's repressive regime, Ye's father was compelled hide books in a black chest under his bed, which Ye was forbidden to open. Nonetheless Ye would gain access to the books; the images and texts would fuel the direction of his unique pictorial language.

In The Long Way Home, Ye deftly parlays nostalgia with social commentary, and therefore, the painting is rife with visual paradox. The dusty twighlight blue which bathes the canvas paired with the title, suggest a grueling plight for the protagonists on the canvas. The stoic figures, whose social status is evidenced by the patches on their clothing, appear complacent in their journey. Interestingly, however, the little girl, in a gentle rose jacket, is the only figure which fully confronts the viewer. It is this innocent defiance that makes the portrait that much more endearing as she indeed exemplifies a more optimistic future. When asked about the characters in these works, Liu responds with "it's more about maybe love, about what's inside these people. The title deals with travel, but it's not really about travel." (Liu Ye as quoted in Katy Donoghue, "Liu Ye: Leave Me in the Dark," Whitewallmag.com, November 23, 2009, n.p.)