Two of the Night
Guo Wei
Artwork Details
Artwork Description
Title: Two of the Night
Artist: Guo Wei (Chinese, b. 1960)
Date: 2010
Medium: Oil on canvas
Dimensions: 31.5 x 39.4 in (80 x 100 cm)
Framing: Framed
Artwork Identification
Two of the Night is a compelling oil painting by Guo Wei, a leading contemporary Chinese artist whose work poignantly explores themes of alienation, identity, and the psychological challenges faced by youth in modern China. This piece embodies Guo’s nuanced portrayal of adolescence caught between social expectations and personal turmoil.
Artistic Style and Influences
Guo Wei’s work is characterized by realistic yet subtly distorted figures that convey emotional complexity and vulnerability. His subjects, often adolescent children, bear indistinct facial features and ambiguous expressions, evoking a profound sense of introspection and societal disconnection.
Historical and Cultural Context
Emerging from the socio-political transformations of late 20th and early 21st-century China, Guo Wei’s paintings serve as metaphors for the turbulent and often disorienting experience of growing up amid rapid urbanization and ideological shifts. Two of the Night reflects these tensions through its haunting imagery and evocative atmosphere.
Provenance
Provenance documentation can be provided upon contact.
Condition Report
The painting is in excellent condition, with a well-preserved surface and professionally framed, ready for immediate display.
Artistic Significance
Two of the Night exemplifies Guo Wei’s masterful ability to fuse social critique with deeply personal and emotional narrative. The work stands as a poignant reflection on isolation, youth, and identity in contemporary China, cementing Guo’s place as a vital voice in global contemporary art.