Artwork Description

Title: Drowned Series One
Artist: Qin Xiuping
Date: n.d.
Medium: Ink on paper
Dimensions: 80 x 54 cm (31.5 x 21.3 in)

Qin Xiuping (b. 1973, Zhaoyuan, Shandong Province, China) is an esteemed mid-career artist recognized for his expressive ink works that explore identity, memory, and corporeality through ethereal compositions. Educated at Yantai Normal University and later at Nanjing Academy of Fine Arts, where he earned both his Master’s and Doctorate, Qin now serves as a professor, influencing a new generation of contemporary Chinese artists.

Artwork Identification:
“Drowned Series One” presents a ghostly female figure suspended in a cosmic void rendered through soft ink washes and delicate speckling. The semi-abstract form floats in a celestial current, creating a poetic visual language of weightlessness, surrender, and transformation.

Artistic Style and Influences:
Qin’s ink technique is rooted in traditional Chinese aesthetics, yet his atmospheric handling and conceptual framework draw influence from 1980s cultural shifts and movements such as Neo-Expressionism. The translucent, layered surface and luminous spatial play align with the sensibilities of modern ink painting.

Historical Context:
The “Drowned” series reflects a broader artistic response to urban alienation and emotional isolation in post-reform China. Created during a time of global artistic hybridization, this work challenges conventional figure representation through ephemeral textures and meditative abstraction.

Provenance:
Provenance documentation can be provided upon contact.

Condition and Conservation:
The work is in very good condition, with no visible tears or discoloration. Professionally framed under protective glass.

Artistic Significance:
Qin Xiuping's mastery of ink offers a vital link between classical Chinese media and contemporary narrative. This series reflects his ongoing inquiry into the fragility of human existence and the metaphysical realm, contributing significantly to the evolution of contemporary Chinese ink painting.