Artwork Description

Title:Color Wheel

Artist:
Yan Lei

Date:
2005

Medium:
Oil painting

Dimensions:
300 × 300 cm (118.1 × 118.1 in)

Artwork Identification:
This expansive circular oil painting by Yan Lei—measuring 300 by 300 centimeters—features a hypnotic arrangement of evenly spaced concentric rings that radiate outward from a vivid central core. Beginning with a warm reddish-orange at the center, the composition transitions through gradually cooler hues—deepening into blue and white, before diffusing into a delicate outer ring of pale lavender and pink. The transitions are executed with pristine smoothness, and the geometric precision of the equally sized rings contributes to an optical illusion of depth and slow-motion expansion. The background is a muted off-white or cream tone, allowing the central form to hover and pulse within the pictorial field.

Artistic Style and Influences:
Color Wheel exemplifies Yan Lei’s nuanced approach to conceptual minimalism and perceptual abstraction. Here, the artist evokes the legacy of Op Art and color field painting—referencing the formal strategies of artists such as Bridget Riley and Kenneth Noland—while simultaneously rooting the work in his own exploration of controlled color systems and visual psychology. The uniform rhythm of the rings recalls systems-based painting, but the soft chromatic shifts introduce a humanized, almost meditative softness. The circular form, as in all of Yan’s Color Wheel series, subtly invokes spiritual and cosmological structures, infusing abstraction with conceptual gravity.

Historical Context:
In the context of Yan Lei’s broader practice—often preoccupied with mass reproduction, digital imagery, and color standardization—this work offers a distilled meditation on form and perception. As Chinese contemporary art has moved through waves of sociopolitical critique, Yan’s Color Wheel series represents a return to abstraction as a site of visual and conceptual inquiry. Created in an era of intense image saturation, this piece offers viewers a rare space of quiet optical engagement, encouraging contemplation rather than consumption.

Provenance and Authenticity:
Provenance documentation can be provided upon contact.

Condition and Conservation:
The painting is in excellent condition. The oil surface is pristine and free of abrasion, with no signs of cracking, restoration, or discoloration. The work is ready for immediate exhibition or installation, with no conservation treatment required.

Artistic Significance:
This Color Wheel stands as a luminous and refined example within Yan Lei’s conceptual abstraction. Its chromatic range—from the warmth of the center to the pale serenity of the periphery—guides the viewer through a rhythmic journey of color and light. As an embodiment of visual equilibrium and conceptual clarity, the work resonates with collectors and institutions seeking meditative abstraction informed by contemporary global discourse. It affirms Yan Lei’s continued relevance in the dialogue between Eastern philosophy, Western abstraction, and the aesthetics of perception.