Artwork Description

Title: Kids Game #2
Artist: Guo Jin
Date: 2002
Medium: Oil on canvas
Dimensions: 57.1 x 45.3 in (145 x 115 cm)

Artwork Identification
Guo Jin’s Kids Game #2 presents a fragmented, weightless child figure in mid-motion, as if frozen between steps or floating in an undefined space. The child, loosely rendered in soft pastel hues with layers of mottled texture, appears suspended on a diagonal axis against a pale, luminous backdrop. A single ball hovers above, accentuating the sensation of play and fleeting moment. The artist’s distinctive surface treatment mimics silkscreen textures, imbuing the canvas with a dreamlike fragility.

Artistic Style and Influences
Guo Jin’s work is rooted in a post-socialist realism that blends figuration with abstraction. Drawing from both Chinese contemporary painting practices and Western modernist tendencies, his visual language uses children not as mere subjects but as cultural symbols. The technique—thin washes of pigment layered with stippled or degraded surfaces—echoes a silkscreen aesthetic, reminiscent of Pop Art yet emotionally and psychologically nuanced. The blurred identities and soft distortions reflect a sense of ambiguity, memory, and introspection.

Historical Context
Emerging from the Sichuan painting scene in the 1990s—a key moment in China’s contemporary art development—Guo Jin’s work explores personal and collective memory in the wake of rapid socio-political transformation. Children, as recurring figures in his oeuvre, stand for innocence and idealism in contrast to China’s evolving modern identity. In Kids Game #2, the playful yet disoriented child becomes a poignant metaphor for uncertainty in a changing world, where ideological foundations once familiar are now elusive.

Provenance
Provenance documentation can be provided upon contact.

Condition and Conservation
This painting is in very good condition. The surface displays no significant cracks, discoloration, or deformation. The canvas remains stable and properly stretched. Pigmentation and texture are consistent with the artist’s intended use of layered color and patina, contributing to the ethereal quality of the piece.

Artistic Significance
Kids Game #2 exemplifies Guo Jin’s exploration of childhood as a lens through which to interrogate memory, transition, and cultural identity. Its subdued palette and atmospheric ambiguity lend it an introspective power that distinguishes his voice within the New Wave of Chinese contemporary painters. The work occupies a resonant space between nostalgia and alienation, making it a compelling acquisition for collectors interested in post-1980s Chinese visual narratives.