Artwork Description

Title: Search for Self-Worth
Artist: Min Zou
Date: 2016
Medium: Oil on canvas
Dimensions: 25.59 × 35.43 in (65 × 90 cm)

1. Artwork Identification
Search for Self-Worth by Min Zou is an abstract oil painting that evokes a serene winter atmosphere. Dominated by blue and white hues, the composition features blurred shapes, scattered white specks, and soft transitions of tone that suggest snowflakes or frost-covered surfaces. The result is a dreamy, ethereal visual field with a meditative quality.

2. Artistic Style and Influences
The work aligns with Abstract Impressionism and atmospheric abstraction, focusing on mood and sensation rather than representational form. Its soft, diffused palette and textural subtleties recall influences from lyrical abstraction and elements of Color Field painting, while the thematic focus on introspection resonates with contemporary Asian abstractionists exploring personal identity through color and form.

3. Historical Context
Painted in 2016, the work emerges during a period of increasing global dialogue in Chinese contemporary art, where abstraction served as a platform for self-exploration and cultural hybridity. Against a backdrop of rapid social transformation, Min Zou’s painting reflects a broader artistic inquiry into psychological and emotional landscapes, diverging from overt political narratives in favor of introspection and universal human themes.

4. Provenance and Authenticity
Please contact the gallery directly for provenance details and authenticity certification.

5. Condition and Conservation
The painting is assumed to be in very good condition, with stable pigment layers and no visible surface damage or restoration. As with most oil works, it should be displayed in controlled lighting conditions and at stable humidity and temperature to prevent craquelure or color fading.

6. Artistic Significance
Search for Self-Worth exemplifies Min Zou’s ability to blend emotional depth with formal restraint. The atmospheric ambiguity invites contemplative engagement, positioning the work within contemporary Chinese abstraction while maintaining universal aesthetic appeal. Its poetic sensibility and technical finesse make it significant for collectors seeking works that embody both cultural identity and personal introspection.