Tree of Human 人之树

Creator(s)

Liang SUN 孙良

Preview

Date

1990

Format

Photograph

Materials

Oil painting

Dimensions

120 x 180 cm

Description

The work's composition is mainly consumed by a large, leaf-less, tree depiction in payn grey -- extended from the top verge of the painting to the very bottom. Upon the tree branches, a number of human-head skeletons, each varies in style, scale, and color, hangs between, much mimicking the tree's fruits. On the tree trunk, a complete set of human skeleton depiction looms. The skeleton is much integrated to its background, but is only distinguished by its slightly elevated color tone (a somewhat whittish blue). The brushstrokes finishing the artworks are rather coarse, economical, or even crude -- think of the conventional facture of impressionism. SUN completed this work in 1990, a key watershed both in his artistic evolvement and the concurrent political climate of China. In 1989, numerous political riots and revolutions were waged and appeased. Much in response to the political turbulences, SUN has veered to a more expressive (impressionistic) painting style and more pessimistic subjects in works. (Li, 图像的创世纪， 2004， ChinaArt.com, available on http://www.echinaart.com/artist/SunLiang/SunLiang_interview2.htm) (Jerry Wu'23).