Artwork Description

Title:Summer

Artist
Shaoli Chen

Date
n.d.

Medium:
Ink and watercolor on paper

Dimensions
26.4 × 26.8 in (67 × 68 cm)

1. Artwork Identification
In Summer, Shaoli Chen captures a vivid and playful portrait of two stylish young women standing confidently against a lush floral background. Dressed in eclectic and boldly layered outfits—complete with striped stockings, corsets, suspenders, and boots—they project a distinct urban fashion sensibility. One figure clutches an “ART…” shopping bag, hinting at their creative or cultural inclinations. This piece belongs to a broader series in which Chen explores individuality, friendship, and modern youth identity.

2. Artistic Style and Influences
Chen’s expressive ink and watercolor technique draws deeply from traditional Chinese painting, particularly the literati style, while incorporating contemporary caricature elements. The figures’ elongated proportions and stylized facial features reflect an intentional exaggeration, imbuing the work with humor and personality. Meanwhile, the finely rendered peonies and textured stonework offer a counterbalance of classic beauty and painterly discipline.

3. Historical Context
Emerging from China’s rapidly evolving social fabric, this portrait exemplifies the synthesis of tradition and trend found in post-1980s contemporary Chinese art. Shaoli Chen’s subjects are not idealized or abstracted symbols, but real and tangible individuals—confident, expressive, and dressed in fashions that defy conformity. Summer stands as a visual testimony to generational shifts, urban influence, and the expanding cultural lexicon of modern Chinese womanhood.

4. Provenance
Provenance documentation can be provided upon contact.

5. Condition and Conservation
The piece presents in very good condition, with only faint folding marks from previous storage. These marks are unobtrusive and do not detract from the visual or structural integrity of the work.

6. Artistic Significance
Summer exemplifies Chen’s talent for blending classical brushwork with incisive commentary on contemporary youth culture. The confident stances and assertive styling of the figures invite reflection on gender, expression, and modern identity in Chinese society. Through humor, detail, and compositional harmony, Shaoli Chen redefines the tradition of figure painting, affirming his place as a vital voice in the evolution of Chinese art.