imagery from left to right: bearded man playing a bowed stringed instrument at left; table with plates and cups, with bamboo and plant behind it; man wearing a grey fur-trimmed jacket and peach-colored pants; woman wearing a pink hat, green pants and sleeveless blouse with purple flowers; man with beard wearing a hooded jacket with animal ears and mittens; plant with red flowers

%C2%A9 2013 Li Jin

Happiness is Bittersweet and vice-versa, 2013

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Generally associated with the “New Literati School,” which in the mid-1980s sought to regenerate China’s ink painting tradition, Li Jin gradually formed his uniquely playful style in the early 1990s, and is now famous for his seductive depictions of the “vulgar” scenes (as he describes them). His paintings are populated with imperfect characters going about their daily life: eating, bathing, reading, even sitting on the toilet. Recent images emphasize the carnal desires of humanity through banquet tables heavy with meat. The Falstaffian figure that appears repeatedly in his work is modeled on himself, and the flirtatious, enticing young women are artist’s ideal of female beauty. Spontaneous brushwork, idiosyncratic captions and the oftentimes brazenly intimate choice of subject matter are the markings of his distinctive style. The universality of his themes and the humorous way in which he treats them has made Li Jin's work immensely popular.

Details
Title
Happiness is Bittersweet and vice-versa
Artist Life
b. 1958
Role
Artist
Accession Number
2014.14.2
Curator Approved

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imagery from left to right: bearded man playing a bowed stringed instrument at left; table with plates and cups, with bamboo and plant behind it; man wearing a grey fur-trimmed jacket and peach-colored pants; woman wearing a pink hat, green pants and sleeveless blouse with purple flowers; man with beard wearing a hooded jacket with animal ears and mittens; plant with red flowers

© 2013 Li Jin

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