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Lot Essay
In 1979, although China has already shaken off the disturbance of Cultural Revolution, no immediate reform was seen in the system of the art circle, and the freedom of art creation was still very much governed by state authority according to its taste and stance. It was a time when everything was waiting to be taken up, as well as a golden opportunity for reform and advancement. Therefore, together with 23 other young artists such as Wang Keping and Huang Rui, Ma Desheng initiated the "Stars Exhibition," advocating freedom of art creation and innovation in expression. The Exhibition was held at the park railings outside China Art Gallery in September 1979, and has triggered the massive modern art movement in China.
Relief (Lot 686) features six pieces of seemingly lost-balance pebbles, which lean against each other to maintain balance, as if they were four living individuals who stand firm on the ground regardless of the difficulties and challenge they are facing. The pebbles are perfectly smooth on the outside, but on the inside, its brushstroke is storming with the Expressionist's force of explosion. The contradiction between the outside and inside, when set against the calm and peaceful background, represents the turmoil people has overcome during the age of Revolution, as well as the indomitable attitude towards life. Ma's painting contains the soul of stone, as he compares a man to stone, and illustrates his aspiration for it.
Wang Keping uses the medium of wood to subtly express his sentimentality towards the culture in the work Untitled (Lot 687). Detached from any representation of political accusations, Wang focuses on the materiality of the wood itself. His respectful treatment of the medium that corresponds to the nature of each individual piece of wood fully preserves its primitive form. For this reason, the splits, branches, and knots of the wood become the representation of humanity. At the same time, it is the continuation of the humanitarianism that was championed by the Stars Group.
Relief (Lot 686) features six pieces of seemingly lost-balance pebbles, which lean against each other to maintain balance, as if they were four living individuals who stand firm on the ground regardless of the difficulties and challenge they are facing. The pebbles are perfectly smooth on the outside, but on the inside, its brushstroke is storming with the Expressionist's force of explosion. The contradiction between the outside and inside, when set against the calm and peaceful background, represents the turmoil people has overcome during the age of Revolution, as well as the indomitable attitude towards life. Ma's painting contains the soul of stone, as he compares a man to stone, and illustrates his aspiration for it.
Wang Keping uses the medium of wood to subtly express his sentimentality towards the culture in the work Untitled (Lot 687). Detached from any representation of political accusations, Wang focuses on the materiality of the wood itself. His respectful treatment of the medium that corresponds to the nature of each individual piece of wood fully preserves its primitive form. For this reason, the splits, branches, and knots of the wood become the representation of humanity. At the same time, it is the continuation of the humanitarianism that was championed by the Stars Group.