Artwork Description

Title:Dancer

Artist
Pan Guanqun

Date
2009

Medium:
Oil on canvas

Dimensions
63 x 78 3/4 in (160 x 200 cm)

1. Artwork Identification
Dancer is a striking and surreal painting depicting two male figures dressed in classical white tutus and ballet caps, holding a dramatic pose as flaming meteors rain from a darkened sky. Their exaggerated facial expressions and rigid postures evoke both parody and pathos. A lone leaping hare caught mid-air in the meteor shower adds an enigmatic layer to the composition.

2. Artistic Style and Influences
Pan Guanqun blends classical Western painting techniques with satirical surrealism, a hallmark of China’s post-1980s art generation. His work often juxtaposes incongruous elements—here, the discipline of ballet with masculine bodies and absurdist theater. The chiaroscuro modeling and restrained color palette reflect academic oil painting traditions, while the theatrical scene draws from performance art and existential visual storytelling.

3. Historical Context
Created in 2009, Dancer reflects the growing introspection and cultural critique among a generation of Chinese artists raised in the aftermath of rapid modernization. Emerging from Beijing’s evolving contemporary art scene, Pan explores identity, masculinity, and absurdity in the face of chaos—represented here by meteors and emotive gestures.

4. Provenance
Provenance documentation can be provided upon contact.

5. Condition and Conservation
The artwork is in very good condition. The canvas surface is clean, taut, and stable, with no visible damage or restoration required. The paint layers retain their original texture and tonal range.

6. Artistic Significance
Pan Guanqun’s Dancer exemplifies the artist’s singular voice within Chinese contemporary art—blending technical precision with psychological satire. This work stands as both a visual spectacle and an intellectual inquiry into cultural archetypes, vulnerability, and performance. It holds strong appeal for collectors interested in provocative figurative work and the evolution of post-Mao artistic expression.