Artwork Description

Title: Plastic Makeup 1
Artist: Hu Xiangdong
Date: 2012
Medium: Oil on canvas
Dimensions: 39.4 x 31.5 in (100 x 80 cm)

Artwork Identification:
In Plastic Makeup 1, Hu Xiangdong renders a striking image of a young woman applying blush, her expression poised and polished. The subject, clad in a semi-transparent plastic jacket, appears stylized and surreal, suspended between reality and artifice. The reflective surface of the clothing and makeup tools plays with the idea of constructed identity, a recurring motif in Hu’s exploration of contemporary life.

Artistic Style and Influences:
Executed in Hu Xiangdong’s signature hyperrealistic style, this work merges elements of photorealism and conceptual portraiture. His keen attention to texture—particularly the gloss of plastic and the softness of the skin—reflects an interest in the superficial surfaces of modern consumer culture. The composition critiques and aestheticizes vanity and visual performance in an era dominated by image-making.

Historical Context:
Created in 2012, Plastic Makeup 1 echoes themes prevalent in early 21st-century Chinese contemporary art—namely, identity, societal transformation, and material aspiration. In a rapidly urbanizing and globalizing China, Hu’s work engages with questions of femininity, artificial beauty, and modern disconnection through personal but culturally resonant imagery.

Provenance:
Provenance documentation can be provided upon contact.

Condition and Conservation:
The artwork is in very good condition, with no visible signs of wear, discoloration, or structural issues.

Artistic Significance:
This piece stands as a refined example of Hu Xiangdong’s investigation into constructed beauty and performative selfhood. By combining meticulous technical execution with conceptual inquiry, Plastic Makeup 1 underscores Hu’s role as a critical observer of cultural shifts in Chinese society, making this work an essential addition to collections concerned with the evolution of Asian contemporary portraiture.