Artwork Description

Title: Untitled
Artist: Ge Zhen
Date: 2017
Medium: Oil on paper
Dimensions: 54 x 39 cm (21.3 x 15.4 in)

1. Artwork Identification
This expressive composition by Ge Zhen captures a tangled, almost abstract cluster of dried blooms or seed pods emerging from a muted ground. The piece, rendered in oil on paper, uses heavily impastoed whites and blacks interlaced with earthy ochres and violets, evoking a raw and organic sensibility. Without a Title: to impose narrative, the viewer is invited to contemplate texture, gesture, and the fleeting beauty of seasonal decay.

2. Artistic Style and Influences
Ge Zhen’s work navigates between representation and abstraction. His textured, almost tactile technique reflects the legacy of post-war expressionism while remaining rooted in the natural world. The dynamic brushwork and restrained palette in this piece recall the spirit of Cy Twombly and Zao Wou-Ki, with an emphasis on poetic spontaneity and emotional resonance.

3. Historical Context
Painted in 2017, this work emerges during a period of strong resurgence in contemporary Chinese painting, where artists like Ge Zhen are reimagining traditional themes—flora, nature, transience—through a modern lens. The use of oil on paper speaks to both immediacy and delicacy, suggesting a studio practice attentive to nuance and material exploration.

4. Provenance
Provenance documentation can be provided upon contact.

5. Condition and Conservation
The artwork is in very good condition. The paint layer is stable, with no visible abrasions, warping, or discoloration of the paper support. The impasto retains its sculptural presence, and the surface appears clean and unvarnished.

6. Artistic Significance
Ge Zhen’s Untitled exemplifies his refined sense of atmosphere and gesture. It offers an intimate meditation on time, growth, and dissolution—central concerns in both Eastern philosophy and modern art. The balance between form and dissolution invites deep viewer engagement, making this piece a poignant addition to any collection of contemporary Chinese abstraction.