Artwork Description

Title: Saffron
Artist: Feng Zhengquan
Date: n.d.
Medium: Oil on canvas
Dimensions: 82.7 x 83.1 in (210 x 211 cm)

Artwork Identification
In Saffron, Feng Zhengquan presents a luminous, dreamlike tableau populated by cartoonish figures, ornamental blossoms, perfume bottles, and cosmetics. Arranged against a deep black and gray ground—evocative of a stylized mountain or floating landmass—the delicate pink flowers bloom with exaggerated scale and vibrancy. At the bottom center, a small, doll-like female figure in a pink dress evokes the innocence of storybook heroines. The surface composition is deliberately whimsical, yet meticulously balanced, embodying Feng’s signature blend of narrative suggestion and formal discipline.

Artistic Style and Influences
Feng Zhengquan’s style is a fusion of traditional Chinese pictorial elements and postmodern pop-surrealism. In Saffron, floral motifs reminiscent of classical Chinese painting are contrasted with consumer goods and Westernized caricatures. His approach sits comfortably within the realm of contemporary Chinese artists who question identity and transformation through visual storytelling. There is a notable resonance with the work of Yoshitomo Nara and Takashi Murakami—particularly in the playful figuration and critique of consumer innocence. Yet Feng’s work remains rooted in a distinctly Chinese conceptual lineage, evoking cultural nostalgia through coded visual language.

Historical Context
Created during a time when Chinese society was undergoing swift modernization, Saffron reflects Feng’s meditative commentary on the intersection of cultural legacy and commodified modernity. The presence of luxury beauty products and fantastical imagery mirrors the rise of consumerist ideals in post-1990s urban China. His use of flower symbolism references traditional visual culture, while the manufactured femininity of the doll-like figures speaks to broader global discourses around gender, image, and artificiality.

Provenance
Provenance documentation can be provided upon contact.

Condition and Conservation
This work is in very good condition. The surface is stable and retains its full chromatic intensity. There are no apparent losses, abrasions, or conservation interventions recorded. The canvas remains taut and well-mounted, with no structural concerns. A conservation report can be made available upon request.

Artistic Significance
Saffron stands as a compelling example of Feng Zhengquan’s nuanced artistic vocabulary—playful in surface appearance yet rich in critical depth. His distinctive visual syntax challenges viewers to navigate a space between beauty and critique, tradition and reinvention. As part of a broader body of work that interrogates cultural memory and personal mythologies, Saffron enhances Feng’s standing as one of the most visually inventive and thematically layered voices in contemporary Chinese art.