Artwork Description

Title: White Bird
Artist: Sun Yan
Date: Undated
Medium: Oil on canvas
Dimensions: 23.6 x 31.5 in. (60 x 80 cm)

1. Artwork Identification
White Bird by Sun Yan is a compelling oil on canvas that depicts two stylized white birds perched symmetrically on a dark horizontal branch against a vivid green backdrop. The composition is defined by strong contouring, simplified forms, and the energetic texture of the brushwork. The background is animated with rhythmic patches of contrasting black and white, adding depth and movement to the flat plane of green.

2. Artistic Style and Influences
Sun Yan’s painting channels a minimalist, almost emblematic visual language that draws from both modernist abstraction and traditional Chinese symbolic aesthetics. The flattened forms and bold color contrasts echo the compositional boldness of early modern European art—such as Matisse’s cut-outs or the reductive purity of Milton Avery—yet the work also carries the quiet meditativeness often found in Chinese literati painting, now transformed through the oil medium.

3. Historical Context
Though undated, White Bird appears to resonate with the spirit of late 20th- to early 21st-century Chinese contemporary art, when many artists were shifting from ideological realism toward personal and symbolic expression. Birds have long held potent cultural symbolism in Chinese art, often associated with peace, fidelity, and transcendence. In this painting, the mirrored positioning of the birds may speak to duality, harmony, or even silent dialogue—a recurring theme in post-Cultural Revolution visual narratives.

4. Provenance
Provenance documentation can be provided upon contact.

5. Condition and Conservation
The work is in very good condition. The canvas is structurally stable, with no visible signs of deterioration, overpainting, or pigment loss. The surface retains its original texture and saturation, with the impasto areas in excellent shape. No conservation treatment is deemed necessary.

6. Artistic Significance
Sun Yan’s White Bird encapsulates the poetic clarity of reductive figuration while maintaining a distinct contemporary sensibility. Its deceptively simple composition evokes layers of metaphor and emotional resonance. This painting would appeal to collectors of modern Asian art and admirers of symbolic minimalism, offering a tranquil yet visually assertive presence within any curated space.