Artwork Description

Title: Chatty
Artist: Shaoli Chen
Date: n.d.
Medium: Ink and watercolour on paper
Dimensions: 30.3 x 28.3 in (77 x 72 cm)

1. Artwork Identification
In Chatty, Shaoli Chen captures a candid and relatable moment between two stylish young women, standing on a wooden bridge framed by a background of wintery branches and dry foliage. One figure wears a soft pink coat over a red skirt and striped top, holding a pale handbag with relaxed confidence. The other sports a bright yellow overcoat and a red shirt emblazoned with an elephant cartoon, paired with rolled jeans and loafers. The Title:, Chatty, perfectly encapsulates the air of casual companionship and shared stories between the two women, their body language suggesting a moment of ease and mutual understanding.

2. Artistic Style and Influences
Chen’s masterful blend of contemporary fashion elements with traditional Chinese ink wash techniques is again evident here. The brushwork used in the background is subtle and fluid, evoking a dreamlike atmosphere, while the figures are delineated with sharper lines and rich washes of colour. The contrast between the muted landscape and the vivid clothing highlights the individuality and modernity of the characters—hallmarks of Chen’s distinctive approach.

3. Historical Context
Painted in an era of accelerating urbanization and digital communication, Chatty reflects a gentle nostalgia for face-to-face connections, framed within a classical natural setting. Chen’s figures represent a new generation of Chinese women—fashionable, expressive, and self-aware—poised at the intersection of tradition and change. The juxtaposition of natural and built environments mirrors the blending of old and new cultural identities.

4. Provenance
Provenance documentation can be provided upon contact.

5. Condition and Conservation
The artwork is in very good condition. The colours remain vibrant and the surface is stable with no tears or foxing. There is minor undulation in the paper, typical for works on handmade or untreated paper.

6. Artistic Significance
Chatty is a gentle, humorous, and affectionate portrayal of everyday life, elevated by Shaoli Chen’s unique synthesis of classical technique and modern sensibility. It demonstrates his ability to translate contemporary experience into a painterly language deeply rooted in Chinese artistic tradition, making the ordinary feel timeless and subtly profound.