Play Disturbance
Wang Bin
Artwork Details
Artwork Description
Title:Play Disturbance
Artist
Wang Bin
Date
n.d.
Medium:
Ink and Watercolor on Paper
Dimensions
9.6 x 23.2 in (24.5 x 59 cm)
1. Artwork Identification
Play Disturbance is a visually arresting ink and watercolor composition by contemporary Chinese artist Wang Bin. Executed on a luminous yellow ground, the painting features a linear, abstract scaffolding-like structure intersected by three delicately rendered female figures in traditional attire. The women appear airborne or suspended, their forms suggesting both weightlessness and theatrical motion. The work’s Title: invites layered interpretation—perhaps referencing a moment of interruption, imbalance, or tension within an otherwise harmonious “play.”
2. Artistic Style and Influences
Wang Bin masterfully synthesizes classical Chinese figure painting with elements of modern abstraction and conceptualism. The stylized female figures echo Tang dynasty aesthetics with their elegant robes and restrained postures, while the angular black lattice forms introduce a disruptive geometry reminiscent of contemporary installation or architectural drawing. The juxtaposition of flowing organic detail and rigid modern structure mirrors broader themes in Wang’s oeuvre: tradition versus transformation, serenity versus disarray.
3. Historical Context
As an artist born in 1984 and shaped by the artistic shifts of the 1990s, Wang Bin’s work reflects a unique fusion of cultural inheritance and global awareness. Play Disturbance speaks to this duality—infusing the language of classical Chinese art with conceptual strategies inspired by the Superflat movement, YBAs, and relational aesthetics. By integrating subtle references to performance, ritual, and spatial tension, Wang offers a contemplative metaphor for the disjunctions of modern life and artistic expression.
4. Provenance
Provenance documentation can be provided upon contact.
5. Condition and Conservation
The artwork is in very good condition, though the paper is noted as detached from the passe-partout. There are no visible creases, foxing, or discoloration to the painting itself. The colors remain vibrant, and the paper surface is stable. A professional remounting is recommended to ensure secure presentation and archival framing.
6. Artistic Significance
Play Disturbance captures Wang Bin’s refined approach to contemporary Chinese art—interweaving minimalism, figuration, and structural abstraction. The work challenges viewers to read visual interruptions as expressive devices rather than defects, thereby deepening the engagement with both form and meaning. For collectors and curators of new ink art or conceptual figuration, this piece represents a thoughtful and sophisticated example of cross-temporal visual dialogue.