Artwork Description

Title:Maze
Artist: Yin Zhaoyang
Date: 2008
Medium:Oil on canvas
Dimensions: 59.1 × 98.4 in (150 × 250 cm)

1. Artwork Identification
Maze by Yin Zhaoyang is a commanding oil-on-canvas panorama, approximately 150 by 250 cm, depicting an intricate urban cityscape. The painting unfolds as a dynamic labyrinth of architectural forms—towering edifices, streets, and pathways—rendered with thick, expressive impasto. Swirling brushstrokes and layered color evoke both the physical complexity of a metropolis and its psychological resonance, inviting viewers to navigate its winding visual corridors.

2. Artistic Style and Influences
Yin Zhaoyang, born 1970 in Henan and trained in printmaking at the Central Academy of Fine Arts, is a key figure in the “Youth Cruelty” generation of the 1990s, later shifting toward spiritual and abstract landscape imagery. In Maze, he synthesizes Eastern literati tradition with Western abstract expressionism—applying pigment directly on canvas and manipulating it with palette knives to build sculptural, undulating textures. The result is a cityscape that feels both physical and metaphysical—realistic yet deeply emotive.

3. Historical Context
Since the post-2007 landscape turn, Yin’s work has often engaged with introspective interpretations of place and memory, bridging personal experience with cultural tradition . Maze can be situated within this trajectory: a visual meditation on urbanity—its disorienting sprawl, collective memories, and the existential “mazes” individuals navigate in modern life. This aligns with his later exhibitions such as Beyond Landscape (2014) and A Vast History (2021), where large-scale canvases invoked history, geography, and psychological depth .

4. Provenance and Authenticity
For information regarding the provenance and authenticity of this artwork, please contact the gallery directly. Authenticity certificates and provenance documentation are available upon request.

5. Condition and Conservation
Measuring 150 × 250 cm, the canvas is substantial and already built with rich impasto—likely created with heavy palette-knife layering. Surface inspection should confirm paint adhesion, undisturbed texture, and structural integrity of the canvas. Given the tactile thickness, careful framing is recommended to prevent pressure on raised surfaces. Overall, the painting appears robust and display-ready, pending a standard conservation review.

6. Artistic Significance
Maze stands as a powerful testament to Yin Zhaoyang’s mature vision: an urban labyrinth that merges architectural reality with emotive abstraction. It reflects his shift from youthful portraiture to expansive, psychologically resonant landscapes. The scale, technical bravura, and rich art-historical lineage make it a compelling highlight for collectors focused on contemporary Chinese painting, especially works that traverse the terrains of urban life, memory, and existential inquiry.