- 1042
Wang Guangle
Estimate
1,000,000 - 1,500,000 HKD
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Description
- Wang Guangle
- Terrazzo 2004. 1. 1 - 2004. 2. 5
- oil on canvas
- 180 by 180.2 cm.; 70⅞ by 71 in.
signed and titled in Chinese and dated 2004 on the reverse
Provenance
Private Asian Collection
Sotheby's, Hong Kong, 2 April, 2012, lot 827
Acquired by the present owner from the above sale
Sotheby's, Hong Kong, 2 April, 2012, lot 827
Acquired by the present owner from the above sale
Condition
This work is generally in good condition. There is some very minor wear around the edges. Having examined the work under ultraviolet light, there appears to be no evidence of restoration.
"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."
"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."
Catalogue Note
A Depiction of Time
Wang Guangle
Born in 1976, Wang Guangle is an important member of N12, a Central Academy of Fine Arts (CAFA) young artist group which represents the younger generation’s “attempt at all the possibilities of breaking away from academic rules”. Established in 2003, N12 comprises 12 young independent artists, including members such as Song Kun, Chou Xiaofei, Hu Xiaoyuan, Xu Hualing and Wen Ling. With his style evolving from Realism to Conceptual Abstraction, Wang Guangle is a crucial member of N12 and is widely influential. In his life as an artist, the Terrazzo Series is a major breakthrough. Being an outstanding representation of young artists’ works, the Series also sets the contemporary Chinese art’s trend in recent years of pursuing Extreme Minimalism and Abstractionism. Terrazzo 2004.1.1 – 2004.2.5 (Lot 1042), a large painting in the Terrazzo Series, is the most representative.
Wang Guangle graduated from the Oil Painting Department of CAFA in 2000. Among the other artists born in the seventies, Wang has not chosen an easy path. While other young artists opted for favourites of the market such as illustration, cartoon and caricature, Wang spent almost half a year on a set of five paintings 3pm – 5pm. With the motif of a beam of light in the dark corner of a studio, the work showcases the quest for classical aestheticism and won him the Academy President’s Award. More importantly, art education under the doctrine of realism in Chinese society has always emphasised the functionality of art, but 3pm – 5pm has defeated the expectation of art as a tool of expression. It has returned art to pure graphic rendition, and in so doing opened up a new generation of painting concept. As Wang’s first series after graduation, 3pm – 5pm was so successful that it had a huge impact on the artist’s future works. Gradually, terrazzo appeared in the 3pm – 5pm Series, taking up the floor of the paintings’ interior space.
Terrazzo was a very common construction material in the seventies and eighties. Wang Guangle’s uncle was a cement worker and he frequently polished terrazzo. This initiated in the artist’s formative years his cognition of the material’s beauty. The terrazzo’s placement in the 3pm – 5pm Series is a reminiscence of this beauty. Bit by bit, the artist hoped that the tableau could be even purer, so he simply eliminated the light beams and manifested the texture of terrazzo, thus creating the Terrazzo Series. For Terrazzo 2004.1.1 – 2004.2.5, the artist spent a whole month painstakingly drawing the texture of terrazzo on the canvas. The texture changes when it spreads from the inside to the outside, whereas the shades of the colour also change accordingly. The trace of light beams in the painting is a continuation of 3pm – 5pm, and a further development of the artist’s concept.
This poetic piece appears to be abstract when seen from a distance. But when the viewer approaches, it turns out the work is very realistic. For the artist, the meticulous details in the imitation of real terrazzo are not only to shock the viewers visually, but also serve as a concrete record of his time spent on creation and a witness of the passage of time. The long creative process with endless repetitions is a trial for the artist’s patience, in the course of which he gets to know and learns to control his body. In the peaceful journey of painting, the artist feels life itself, as if he were a monk meditating. Such a way of creation, more importantly, allows the viewers to be intoxicated by the painting, understanding the passage of life through the stunning details. There is an anecdote about this series. In 2004, Wang Guangle spent more than a month in a Beijing factory which was going to be demolished. With writing brushes, water and colour, the artist drew terrazzo texture on a wall 6 metres high and 9 metres long. After its completion, the humungous terrazzo painting of course vanished into thin air as the factory was torn down. The performance art / mural is tantamount to setting the tone for the Terrazzo Series.
Subsequently, Wang Guangle transferred his exploration of the passage of life in the Terrazzo Series into his new Coffin Paint Series. He repeatedly painted the canvas so that the paint piled up, forming layers of colours. The series originates from the artist’s hometown custom. The old people there would annually repaint the coffins they prepare for themselves until they eventually pass away. The Coffin Paint Series has inherited the theme of temporal contemplation from the Terrazzo Series. Death is explored through the visualisation of time.
Among his contemporaneous artists, Wang Guangle represents a significant artistic breakthrough. By transcending the simple differentiation between abstract and non-abstract, he has incorporated his creative concepts into his works and challenged all the possibilities of painting, breaking down the conventional way of perception. As an important piece in the Terrazzo Series, Terrazzo 2004.1.1 – 2004.2.5 is a perfect representation of the artist’s creative concept at that stage.
Wang Guangle
Born in 1976, Wang Guangle is an important member of N12, a Central Academy of Fine Arts (CAFA) young artist group which represents the younger generation’s “attempt at all the possibilities of breaking away from academic rules”. Established in 2003, N12 comprises 12 young independent artists, including members such as Song Kun, Chou Xiaofei, Hu Xiaoyuan, Xu Hualing and Wen Ling. With his style evolving from Realism to Conceptual Abstraction, Wang Guangle is a crucial member of N12 and is widely influential. In his life as an artist, the Terrazzo Series is a major breakthrough. Being an outstanding representation of young artists’ works, the Series also sets the contemporary Chinese art’s trend in recent years of pursuing Extreme Minimalism and Abstractionism. Terrazzo 2004.1.1 – 2004.2.5 (Lot 1042), a large painting in the Terrazzo Series, is the most representative.
Wang Guangle graduated from the Oil Painting Department of CAFA in 2000. Among the other artists born in the seventies, Wang has not chosen an easy path. While other young artists opted for favourites of the market such as illustration, cartoon and caricature, Wang spent almost half a year on a set of five paintings 3pm – 5pm. With the motif of a beam of light in the dark corner of a studio, the work showcases the quest for classical aestheticism and won him the Academy President’s Award. More importantly, art education under the doctrine of realism in Chinese society has always emphasised the functionality of art, but 3pm – 5pm has defeated the expectation of art as a tool of expression. It has returned art to pure graphic rendition, and in so doing opened up a new generation of painting concept. As Wang’s first series after graduation, 3pm – 5pm was so successful that it had a huge impact on the artist’s future works. Gradually, terrazzo appeared in the 3pm – 5pm Series, taking up the floor of the paintings’ interior space.
Terrazzo was a very common construction material in the seventies and eighties. Wang Guangle’s uncle was a cement worker and he frequently polished terrazzo. This initiated in the artist’s formative years his cognition of the material’s beauty. The terrazzo’s placement in the 3pm – 5pm Series is a reminiscence of this beauty. Bit by bit, the artist hoped that the tableau could be even purer, so he simply eliminated the light beams and manifested the texture of terrazzo, thus creating the Terrazzo Series. For Terrazzo 2004.1.1 – 2004.2.5, the artist spent a whole month painstakingly drawing the texture of terrazzo on the canvas. The texture changes when it spreads from the inside to the outside, whereas the shades of the colour also change accordingly. The trace of light beams in the painting is a continuation of 3pm – 5pm, and a further development of the artist’s concept.
This poetic piece appears to be abstract when seen from a distance. But when the viewer approaches, it turns out the work is very realistic. For the artist, the meticulous details in the imitation of real terrazzo are not only to shock the viewers visually, but also serve as a concrete record of his time spent on creation and a witness of the passage of time. The long creative process with endless repetitions is a trial for the artist’s patience, in the course of which he gets to know and learns to control his body. In the peaceful journey of painting, the artist feels life itself, as if he were a monk meditating. Such a way of creation, more importantly, allows the viewers to be intoxicated by the painting, understanding the passage of life through the stunning details. There is an anecdote about this series. In 2004, Wang Guangle spent more than a month in a Beijing factory which was going to be demolished. With writing brushes, water and colour, the artist drew terrazzo texture on a wall 6 metres high and 9 metres long. After its completion, the humungous terrazzo painting of course vanished into thin air as the factory was torn down. The performance art / mural is tantamount to setting the tone for the Terrazzo Series.
Subsequently, Wang Guangle transferred his exploration of the passage of life in the Terrazzo Series into his new Coffin Paint Series. He repeatedly painted the canvas so that the paint piled up, forming layers of colours. The series originates from the artist’s hometown custom. The old people there would annually repaint the coffins they prepare for themselves until they eventually pass away. The Coffin Paint Series has inherited the theme of temporal contemplation from the Terrazzo Series. Death is explored through the visualisation of time.
Among his contemporaneous artists, Wang Guangle represents a significant artistic breakthrough. By transcending the simple differentiation between abstract and non-abstract, he has incorporated his creative concepts into his works and challenged all the possibilities of painting, breaking down the conventional way of perception. As an important piece in the Terrazzo Series, Terrazzo 2004.1.1 – 2004.2.5 is a perfect representation of the artist’s creative concept at that stage.