After graduating from the Sichuan Academy of Fine Arts in 1982, Zhou Chunya followed a similar trajectory as other artists of his generation in the new wave art movement, gravitating away from China's academic realism and instead exploring more personal modes of expression. But while other artists focused on their changing environment, Zhou, while studying at the Kassel Academy in Germany, immersed himself in the study of Impressionism, Cubism and Expressionism, a course of study that led him to his own highly distinct brand of Neo-Expressionism.
Artists of the Neo-Expressionist, or "Junge Wild" ("wild youth") movement, sought to undermine established authority with the aim of freeing their art from any restrictive constraints by painting with bright, intense colours and with quick, broad brushstrokes. These abstract and sensual paintings reflected the subjective feelings of the artists and themes were often portrayed in a complex and individualistic manner. His own exposure to the "Junge Wild" ethos led Zhou to free himself from the repressive limitations of his academic training, fundamentally altering his own painting practice.
Upon his return to China in 1989, Zhou encountered a newfound closeness towards his country. He became fixated on Chinese literati painting, and he states, "Unlike some artists who discard restraint for novelty, I am different. The subjects I choose, the techniques and colours I use are very ambiguous. I am a person who thinks a lot, reviews a lot before I take the next step. I have been deeply influenced by the Chinese tradition, which I never will be rid of whenever I am." From then on, Zhou has sought to combine traditional Chinese motifs with an emotive and highly personal expressionism derived from the experiences and reflections of daily life as inspiration.
Most recognized for the paintings of his late German Shepherd, Heigen, the main subject of Zhou's Green Dog series of more than ten years, elaborated in both paint and sculptural forms, is the vibrant expression of green. Zhou has stated that the colour green "contains a tranquillity right before an explosion," and Heigen makes his appearance again in this featured lot Untitled [Lot 2406] peeking slightly near the bottom left of the painting. The portrayal of Heigen is described by the artist as a delineative self-portrait and functions as a projection of the artist himself as he looks out of the canvas to viewers. The nude figure central in the painting sits brazenly on a commode slightly perched over with a mischievous gaze towards Heigen. Near the foreground is a woman crouched playfully on all fours who oversee these private and absurdist activities, giving the artist an occasion to demonstrate a kind of existential absurdity.
Zhou's experimental and deliberately awkward composition draws the viewer in to visually engage in a satirical dialogue, and is an example of his exploration of the previously unrepresented aspects of everyday life by way of a triadic portrait. The isolated subjects amidst the desolate background, and miscellaneous items strewn in random fashion throughout the canvas, are symbolic of a sense of detachment and uncertainty, clearly a representative of the realities in life. This lot gives us a view to the breadth of Zhou's experimentation, demonstrating his interest in imbuing the banalities of everyday life with aesthetic rigor and a sardonic sense of humour.