Artwork Description

Title:Colour Wheel

Date:
2005

Medium:
Oil painting

Dimensions:
300 × 300 cm (118.1 × 118.1 in)

Artwork Identification:
This monumental oil painting by Yan Lei—measuring 300 by 300 centimeters—features a tightly structured series of concentric rings in varying tones of gray, off-white, and pale silver. These rings are densely packed, subtly layered, and gradually fade in intensity as they move outward, creating an immersive and almost three-dimensional optical effect. At the center of the composition is a small, dark indigo or purple circle that anchors the entire visual field. Set against a darker backdrop, the luminous, expanding rings appear to pulse outward in soft, measured rhythms. The work is framed and exhibition-ready.

Artistic Style and Influences:
Color Wheel continues Yan Lei’s exploration of systemic abstraction, using limited palettes and minimalist geometries to probe perceptual and conceptual experience. This iteration, with its restrained grayscale vocabulary and dense visual texture, recalls both the meditative rigor of Agnes Martin and the tonal subtlety of Vija Celmins, while maintaining Yan’s distinct interest in algorithmic structure and repetition. The work’s dark center—rare among the more radiant works in the series—suggests a gravitational pull or void, introducing metaphysical associations that elevate the visual strategy into philosophical territory.

Historical Context:
Created in the context of Yan Lei’s broader investigation into visual saturation, repetition, and conceptual minimalism, this piece reflects the artist’s ongoing attempt to locate meaning in systematic reduction. In contrast to his earlier, more colorful Color Wheel iterations, this version embraces tonal austerity, engaging the viewer with a quiet visual complexity that rewards prolonged viewing. Situated within the trajectory of Chinese contemporary abstraction, it signals a shift from spectacle to subtlety—from mass production to inward reflection.

Provenance and Authenticity:
Provenance documentation can be provided upon contact.

Condition and Conservation:
The painting is in excellent condition. The surface is clean, stable, and free of any flaking, discoloration, or structural damage. The concentric layering is precisely intact, sound, and in fine condition. The piece requires no conservation treatment and is ready for display.

Artistic Significance:
This rare grayscale Color Wheel exemplifies Yan Lei’s ability to extract depth, emotion, and rhythm from minimalist parameters. Its quietude and complexity contrast with the more chromatically vibrant works in the series, offering a compelling visual meditation on center, periphery, and perception. As interest in Eastern-inflected conceptual abstraction grows within the global art market, works such as this are increasingly valued for their formal elegance and intellectual restraint. It is a powerful addition to any serious collection of contemporary abstraction or Chinese avant-garde painting.