Artwork Description

Title: Untitled
Artist: Hsu Chuen
Date: n.d.
Medium: Print on paper (Edition: 26/100)
Dimensions: 11.8 x 11.8 in (30 x 30 cm)

1. Artwork Identification
This Untitled limited-edition print by Hsu Chuen presents a stark and surreal interior tableau. A gnarled, leafless tree juts from the left, casting long shadows on an acid-green background. A solitary bird perches on one of its barren branches, opposite a small, dispassionate surveillance camera mounted on the upper right wall. Beneath it all, a meticulously rendered black-and-white checkerboard floor anchors the image in illusionistic depth. Editioned 26/100, the print is hand-signed by the artist.

2. Artistic Style and Influences
Blending surrealism with conceptual minimalism, Hsu Chuen’s aesthetic evokes comparisons to the metaphysical interiors of Giorgio de Chirico and the quiet tension of René Magritte. The use of hyper-clear objects placed in illogical or theatrical spaces, coupled with the symbolically loaded elements (bird, camera, tree, shadow), suggests themes of isolation, observation, and artifice. The stark tonal contrasts and crisp linearity underscore a contemporary visual language rooted in both Western surrealist and East Asian graphic traditions.

3. Historical Context
Although undated, the piece reflects an ongoing global artistic discourse surrounding surveillance, alienation, and the relationship between nature and constructed environments. The juxtaposition of organic and technological forms in a confined and dreamlike space aligns with post-2000 artistic explorations of digital-age psychology, especially within East Asian contemporary printmaking circles.

4. Provenance
Provenance documentation can be provided upon contact.

5. Condition and Conservation
This print is in very good condition. The paper is clean and free from discoloration, and the printed image retains its full clarity and saturation. There are no signs of damage or restoration, and the edges are sharp and well-preserved.

6. Artistic Significance
Hsu Chuen’s Untitled stands out for its compelling interplay of surveillance, symbolism, and spatial disorientation. The work captures a distinctly modern unease, inviting layered interpretations around presence, absence, and the constructed gaze. As a limited-edition print, it offers both visual impact and collectible rarity, appealing to collectors of contemporary Asian art and conceptual printmaking.