Artwork Description

Title: Come to the World Without You
Artist: Ning Yue
Date: Undated
Medium: Oil on panel
Dimensions: 10.24 × 10.24 in (26 × 26 cm)

1. Artwork Identification
Come to the World Without You by Ning Yue is a compact oil on panel composition featuring a potted snake plant (Sansevieria trifasciata) in the foreground. Behind the plant looms a dark, ambiguous form, potentially animal-like, which adds an unsettling and mysterious undertone to the still life. The restrained color palette and focused rendering of the plant contrast with the indistinct shape in the background, creating tension within the composition.

2. Artistic Style and Influences
The work draws upon contemporary surrealism and minimalist still-life traditions, infusing a sense of psychological narrative into an otherwise domestic subject. The enigmatic shadow form introduces a surrealistic quality reminiscent of Giorgio Morandi’s contemplative arrangements, yet imbued with a narrative ambiguity aligning with modern Asian surrealist practices.

3. Historical Context
Created in the contemporary Chinese art context, Ning Yue’s work reflects a shift toward personal symbolism and quiet introspection, diverging from the overt sociopolitical themes of earlier generations. This approach mirrors a global art movement where still-life imagery becomes a stage for exploring existential questions and internal landscapes, especially within smaller, intimate formats suited for private viewing.

4. Provenance and Authenticity
Please contact the gallery directly for provenance details and authenticity certification.

5. Condition and Conservation
The oil-on-panel medium is inherently stable, and the work appears to be in excellent condition, with no noted surface abrasions or losses. To preserve integrity, avoid high humidity, excessive light exposure, or rapid temperature fluctuations.

6. Artistic Significance
This painting embodies Ning Yue’s ability to transform ordinary objects into carriers of psychological weight. The juxtaposition of the familiar plant and an ominous, indeterminate shape challenges the viewer’s sense of comfort, engaging themes of presence, absence, and identity. Its intimate size and conceptual depth make it a significant piece within Ning Yue’s oeuvre and appealing to collectors focused on symbolic contemporary works.