Fang Lijun is one of the most representative artists of Chinese avant-garde art in the early nineties. He began to implement the archetypal bald-headed character in his art works since 1989 in order to express the helpless and boredom, which many of his generation in the late eighties to the early nineties felt under the socio-political pressure in Chinese society. His visual language symbolizing an unique psychological state of that generation, thus his lively creation and attitude to arts has become the representation of "Cynical Realism." While Fang was studying in the Central Academy of Fine Arts, there was a sensational "1985 New Wave movement," in which he faces the in flood of different art conceptions and ideas that were very different to his previous generation of artists. He gave up all the confrontational means, choosing self- rescue as his way, and made use of humor and tedium to achieve the goal of self-mockery. He once said: "We would rather be called the lost, the bored, the disaster, the cynical, and the confused, but we cannot be deceived any further."
The large print works 1999.2.1 (Lot 1448) was created after Fang moved to a large studio in Songzhuang Beijing. The image of the figure continued the characteristics of the bald-headed theme from the early nineties, since Fang himself was also bald, this visual language is visually prominent in reality and in visual art, as such this reflects further the rebellious means on a psychological level. Unlike his previous depiction of the laissez-faire kind of laughter and the indifference facial expression of the bald figures in his early painting, the figure in this painting has become more emotionally bound. Only the head of the body was showed above the sparkling water, seeming to strive harder for survival.
Nevertheless, swimming had been the subject of Fang's paintings for a long time, in the early days of his career he photographed many of his friends swimming and convey these images into his paintings. His early work expresses a sense of tranquility and peacefulness, yet there is a strong contrast in comparison to the animated expression in this later painting, as such his transition of concept is evidentially visible. Fang felt that water gives a sense of uncertainty, which is akin to human personality, both are elusive in nature. Besides, water is the closest element to human's existence, which is why he likes to use swimming as an emotional expression for his artistic language. Graduated from the Central Academy of Fine Arts Printmaking Department, Fang is proficient in dealing with oversize prints; his works show great skills and momentum, yet his black and white monochrome arrangement recalls on the image of his early outdoor figure paintings. We can comprehend his simplification in detailing his work through one of his statements, "I particularly do not like to use many details in the work, because too much details will attract audience to take a closer look at the skills involved, if a painting created such effect, then i think it has already failed. Because the most important thing of a painting is the overall feeling, which is what you can feel from the painting, not what you can see from it."
2005.1.10 (Lot 1447) is a group of thirty-six pieces bronze sculptures, which is a great breakthrough for Fang parting from the painting and printmaking creation. Each sculpture retains Fang's famous bald-headed and self-portrait style, their bodies and faces were deliberately distorted, some were even looked like it has been flattened by a heavy object, as a result, the sculptures project a sense of tension that can be felt. Some figures have Fang's typical cynical smile, some looked painful and anxious, yet the figures all gaze into the sky, as if waiting for salvation. The figures were ugly and humble, and were equipped below the eye level, project a sense of ordinary and humbleness, but their gold appearance give them a Buddha-like splendor and noble sense, seeming that what they need was not sympathy but admiration. 2005.1.10 was created because the artist was touched by how people faces depression in live, this stand in strong contraposition to the Cultural Revolution's sculptures that emphasized heroism and ideology. Fang's works are genuine and moving; he displays his concerns on human existence, and reflects on the social consciousness and the literati notion in Chinese contemporary art.