Artwork Description

Title: Bit.2
Artist
Kan Sun

Date
2005

Medium:
Oil on canvas

Dimensions
86 ⅝ x 70 ⅞ in (220 x 180 cm)

1. Artwork Identification
In Bit.2, Kan Sun presents a monumental, upward-reaching hand dominating the composition as it gestures toward the heavens. Viewed from a low angle, the fleshy, elongated form reaches past a sliver of red rooftops and a slender tree, all set against a sweeping blue sky filled with clouds. The surreal scale and perspective evoke a sense of aspiration or revelation, as if the figure were pointing toward something beyond the visible realm.

2. Artistic Style and Influences
Rendered in a refined realist style with surrealist overtones, Bit.2 exemplifies Kan Sun’s fascination with psychological states, metaphor, and the body. The exaggerated scale of the hand, paired with the disorienting upward viewpoint, reflects a theatrical manipulation of perspective. The clean lines, minimal yet expressive color palette, and symbolic gesture are reminiscent of both Western classical composition and Eastern narrative painting traditions.

3. Historical Context
Painted in 2005, Bit.2 emerged during a pivotal period in contemporary Chinese art when artists, especially women, were navigating new expressive freedoms post-economic reform. Kan Sun, trained in both China and Russia, bridges academic traditions with introspective, symbolic content that critiques and reflects on human emotion, alienation, and existential inquiry.

4. Provenance
Provenance documentation can be provided upon contact.

5. Condition and Conservation
The painting has a small dent in the lower left area, with a faint stretched mark on the lower and left side of the canvas. These minor imperfections do not detract from the visual impact of the piece. Overall, the artwork is in very good condition.

6. Artistic Significance
Kan Sun is recognized for her psychologically charged and symbolically rich compositions, and Bit.2 is a commanding example. The gesture of the hand—simultaneously ambiguous and purposeful—invites interpretation about identity, spiritual direction, and human intent. With its bold visual language and conceptual depth, Bit.2 is a powerful work from one of the most compelling voices in contemporary Chinese figurative painting.