Artwork Description

Title: Mountain City Night
Artist: Zhanyang Li
Date: 2001
Medium: Mixed media
Dimensions: 157.5 x 36.6 x 65 in (400 x 93 x 165 cm)

Artwork Identification
Mountain City Night (Large) is an ambitious mixed-media sculptural installation by Zhanyang Li, measuring over four meters in length. This monumental work presents a dynamic tableau of contemporary Chinese life, vividly rendering scenes of urban social interaction—evoking the animated energy of crowded streets, bars, and public spaces. The figures, modeled with bold volumetric forms and expressive gestures, collectively create a narrative that oscillates between observation and critique.

Artistic Style and Influences
Zhanyang Li’s practice fuses realist detail with an almost theatrical sense of composition. His visual language bears affinities with Social Realism, yet it is charged with satirical undertones reminiscent of Cynical Realism and Pop-inspired commentary in Chinese contemporary art. By employing mixed media, the artist emphasizes textural contrasts and chromatic intensity, accentuating the vibrancy and complexity of the scenes he portrays.

Historical Context
Created in 2001, Mountain City Night emerges during a pivotal moment in China’s cultural transformation—a period marked by urban expansion, shifting social norms, and the rise of consumer culture. Li’s sculptural works from this era serve as cultural documents and critical reflections on the negotiation between tradition and modernity in an increasingly globalized society.

Provenance and Authenticity
For provenance details and authenticity documentation, please contact the gallery directly.

Condition and Conservation
The installation is in good condition overall, with no significant structural concerns noted. Minor surface abrasions consistent with age are present. Due to its scale and material complexity, professional art-handling services and climate-controlled display are recommended for long-term preservation.

Artistic Significance
Zhanyang Li is regarded as one of the leading figures of Chinese contemporary sculpture, and Mountain City Night exemplifies his acute engagement with the human condition amid rapid sociocultural change. The work’s monumental presence and narrative depth position it as a significant addition to any institutional or private collection focused on 21st-century Asian art.