Artwork Description

Title: Ten Days Later, Yoshi Lily Went to the West Mountain
Artist: Ke Su
Date: n.d.
Medium: Acrylic on canvas
Dimensions: 39.4 x 59.1 in. (100 x 150 cm)

1. Artwork Identification
Ke Su’s Ten Days Later, Yoshi Lily Went to the West Mountain is a vivid, dreamlike acrylic on canvas blending gestural abstraction with illustrative narrative. The painting’s composition features large, semi-transparent blue orbs in the foreground, an undulating pink terrain at mid-ground, and ghostly mountain outlines under a darkened sky. A delicate line drawing of a lone figure in a boat floats within the pale band of earth tones—imbuing the otherwise bold composition with a wistful, introspective moment.

2. Artistic Style and Influences
The artwork straddles abstraction and figuration, drawing on the sensibilities of contemporary minimal surrealism. Ke Su’s style recalls elements of Color Field painting with a conceptual twist, aligning with the visual poetics of artists like Peter Doig or David Hockney’s quieter landscapes. The simplified forms, acid-bright palette, and central linear vignette suggest a meditative narrative approach, where memory, time, and place merge.

3. Historical Context
Though undated, this work resonates with early 21st-century East Asian contemporary painting that embraces symbolic storytelling and dreamlike fragmentation. The Title: reads like a line from a novella or diary—evoking a whimsical, almost mythic tale that invites interpretation. It reflects a growing trend in contemporary Chinese painting to blend personal mythology with universal archetypes, often rendered through unconventional compositional strategies.

4. Provenance
Provenance documentation can be provided upon contact.

5. Condition and Conservation
The painting is in very good condition. The acrylic pigments appear stable, with no signs of fading, cracking, or surface loss. The canvas is taut and cleanly stretched, with well-preserved edges.

6. Artistic Significance
Ke Su’s Ten Days Later, Yoshi Lily Went to the West Mountain exemplifies the artist’s quiet yet emotionally resonant style. It merges abstract fields of color with a storybook-like narrative to create a contemplative visual experience. The work encourages prolonged viewing and imaginative projection, making it an engaging acquisition for collectors drawn to contemporary art that balances conceptual delicacy with visual intensity.