Estimate
TWD 240,000-350,000
HKD 61,500-89,700
USD 8,300-12,100
Sold Price
TWD 306,800
HKD 78,747
USD 10,090
Signature
EXHIBITED:
Wonderland, One and J. Gallery, Seoul, Korea, 2007
+ OVERVIEW
The classic masterpiece, Romeo and Juliet, by Shakespeare has been embodied as the modern version of the robot. Though time has changed and generations after generations, the tragedy fate remains unchanged. This is the main idea the artist intended to express: "The love for everybody is doomed, even if Romeo has been turned into a robot, the tragedy can not be changed. As Juliet will become the devil accordingly, so is the same tragedy." Born in 1979 and graduated from Xian Academy of Fine Arts, Xu Maomao has been greatly affected by Japan cartoons and even now, she is still reading all kinds of animation books. Thus, the language of animation has become a part of the blood that exists in the subconscious. Once having the desire to express the inner feelings, under the brush are cartoons only. The "cartoon generation" born in the 1970s is not grown up suddenly, for it existed in the memories at early stage of their childhood, in the course of watching cartoon images and reading animation books, which leaves deep impression on them. But compared with the occidental and Japan's animation aesthetics, the Chinese contemporary art in respect of cartoon style is ranged between cartoon and reality, depicting the theme with practical significance mainly concerning about lifestyles, emotional demands and cultural background. Under Xu Maomao's brush, "love" is still the endless topic to be expressed for generations after generations. The "current state of love" is the real concern of the artist. At present, despite the good things to be expressed, as that forever-beautiful love to be, the rapid changes of modern life and the ever- greater pressure of the life can not cover up the experience of sadness and pathos, even with the animation, which is originally full of relaxing and idle function.
The 20th & 21st Century Chinese Art Japanese & Korean Contemporary Art
Ravenel Spring Auction 2008
Sunday, June 1, 2008, 12:00am