Girl

Chinese Society experienced tremendous social change during the economic reform in the 1990s.  The economic development stimulated people's desire for money and materialistic pursuits, shrouding society with absurdity and tension. It was in this cultural climate that Zhang Enli chose to reveal the frustration and oppression experienced by the majority of the population. The works that he produced during this period also served as self-portraits of his personal life. In this period, he extensively used black and red in an expressive style to imbue the composition with a sense of tension. The gloomy tone of the overall canvas provides a striking contrast with the areas of intense red, as if these areas represent the only release for repressed emotion. The painting expresses the agitated outburst of the working class in the manner of a Munch’s Scream. Girl (Lot 135) combines the use of impasto and washes to achieve a sense of turbidity that is richly layered. The subject sits on a swivel stool while the heavy background looms over her figure, implying a master-subordinate relationship where the subject is lost in the background.  The use of the background as a metaphor to represent the oppressive atmosphere of the times is found in many other works produced by the artist in the same period. In this work however, the only difference is that the character is expressing loss, helplessness, loneliness, and sorrow in her eyes. She is less arrogant and quieter than Zhang's other subjects. It demonstrates a critical turning point in the artist's career just before he switched to portraying indoor subject matter; Girl is an important work that marks this period of transition.