Artwork Description

Title: Category 5 FOREST (26) FOREST: The 5th Categ
Artist: Zi Li
Date: n.d.
Medium: Mixed media
Dimensions: 200 x 750 cm (divided into three panels)

Artwork Identification:
"Category 5 FOREST (26) FOREST: The 5th Categ" is a monumental mixed media triptych by contemporary artist Zi Li. With a commanding total length of 7.5 meters, the work envelops the viewer in an immersive visual and tactile experience. Dominated by a black rectangular mass contrasted by translucent fabric draping beneath, the surface is densely textured with sculptural relief and layered abstraction, creating an enigmatic and meditative atmosphere.

Artistic Style and Influences:
Zi Li’s work blends elements of abstraction and material experimentation. The heavily encrusted and pockmarked surface recalls geological formations or industrial decay, while the sheer fabric offers a visual counterpoint, evoking fragility and impermanence. This tension between weight and weightlessness is central to Zi Li’s aesthetic and conceptual investigations.

Historical Context:
Emerging from China’s post-1980s contemporary art scene, Zi Li’s practice engages with themes of memory, landscape, and existential presence. His “FOREST” series is notable for its ambitious scale and exploration of psychological landscapes, bridging personal and environmental trauma.

Provenance:
Provenance documentation can be provided upon contact.

Condition and Conservation:
Due to the delicate nature of the materials and the pronounced relief surface, the artwork has experienced abrasion resulting in minor loss of texture and pigment. Storage and handling have left notable indentations and marks, as documented in the accompanying detail photographs. The overall integrity of the canvas and unaffected pigment areas remains very good. The condition reflects the vulnerability inherent in the work’s construction and materials.

Artistic Significance:
This work represents one of the largest and most materially intense pieces within Zi Li’s “FOREST” series, showcasing his mature exploration of form, material, and spatial depth. Its scale and sculptural surface place it at the intersection of painting and installation, making it a powerful statement on human fragility within overwhelming environments—natural or psychological.