Artwork Description

Title: Princess Series 2
Artist: Chen Hongzhu
Date: 2008
Medium: Oil on canvas
Dimensions: 39.4 x 31.5 in (100 x 80 cm)

Artwork Identification
In Princess Series 2, Chen Hongzhu introduces viewers to a hyper-stylized female figure with exaggerated features—oversized eyes, porcelain skin, and a dreamlike detachment—playing an electric bass guitar while entwined with a pink octopus. The subject’s vacant gaze and childlike form contrast sharply with her mature pose and undergarments, blurring the line between innocence and provocation. The use of saturated, candy-like colors and surreal juxtapositions draws attention to the constructed and performative aspects of femininity.

Artistic Style and Influences
Chen’s visual lexicon combines elements of surrealism, Japanese manga aesthetics, and the Pop Surrealism movement, echoing influences from Western contemporaries such as Mark Ryden and John Currin. Her figures often straddle the boundary between cuteness and melancholy, exposing psychological depth beneath playful exteriors. The doll-like female protagonist—recurring throughout her oeuvre—serves as both avatar and critique of contemporary identity, consumerism, and emotional vulnerability.

Historical Context
Created during the rise of the “New Generation” of Chinese artists in the 2000s, Princess Series 2 speaks to the intersection of individual identity and societal expectation in post-reform China. Chen, part of a cohort of confident and rebellious female artists, emerged in a time when gender roles were rapidly evolving amid newfound freedoms and anxieties of globalization. Her exploration of fantasy and trauma reflects broader cultural questions about authenticity, agency, and the commodification of femininity in modern society.

Provenance
Provenance documentation can be provided upon contact.

Condition and Conservation
The painting is in very good condition. The surface shows no visible abrasions, losses, or conservation interventions. The colors remain vibrant, and the canvas structure is stable. No craquelure or varnish inconsistencies are present, confirming the piece's excellent preservation.

Artistic Significance
Chen Hongzhu’s Princess Series 2 encapsulates the unique voice of a pivotal figure in Chinese contemporary art—one who challenges aesthetic and cultural norms with quiet defiance and poetic nuance. Her deeply personal yet universally resonant iconography continues to attract critical and curatorial attention. Collected by major figures such as Uli Sigg, her work marks a significant contribution to the evolving narrative of Chinese female artistic expression. This painting, with its layered emotional codes and exquisite technique, stands as a bold statement on beauty, vulnerability, and the fractured self.