Artwork Description

Title: Shout
Artist: Chen Jianfeng
Date: 2017
Medium: Oil on canvas
Dimensions: 100 x 80 cm (39.4 x 31.5 in)

1. Artwork Identification
Chen Jianfeng's Shout is a hauntingly visceral composition that melds human anguish with crystalline abstraction. A fragmented, screaming figure emerges from a nebulous dark space, encrusted with cubic forms and glass-like shards. The piece captures the raw emotional intensity of a human cry rupturing through silence and structure.

2. Artistic Style and Influences
The work lies at the intersection of surrealism and expressionism, deeply rooted in Chen's signature blend of contemporary oil technique and philosophical introspection. The crystalline textures recall both digital glitch aesthetics and traditional Chinese ink wash voids, evoking a sense of alienation and spiritual fragmentation. His work shows kinship with Francis Bacon’s psychological intensity and Zdzisław Beksiński’s nightmarish realism, yet remains rooted in Chen’s uniquely Chinese visual language.

3. Historical Context
Painted in 2017, Shout reflects the emotional and existential turbulence of contemporary life in China and beyond. In a period marked by rapid digital transformation, sociopolitical shifts, and psychological unrest, the painting becomes a mirror to the inner scream of the modern self—fractured by external pressures and technological entanglements. The crystallization of the figure suggests a metaphorical freezing of human emotion under mechanized or institutional constraints.

4. Provenance
Provenance documentation can be provided upon contact.

5. Condition and Conservation
The artwork is in very good condition. The surface of the oil is well-preserved with no visible damage or discoloration. The structure and framing remain stable, ensuring long-term conservation without current need for intervention.

6. Artistic Significance
Shout is a masterwork of emotive abstraction, symbolizing Chen Jianfeng’s philosophical commitment to exploring the fragility and resilience of the human spirit. It is emblematic of his broader oeuvre, which probes the spaces between digital and physical, emotion and reason, chaos and order. The piece offers collectors and viewers a compelling entry point into the depths of contemporary Chinese existentialism, marking Chen as a vital voice in the global art discourse.