Signed lower right PENG SI in English and dated 2005.10

EXHIBITED:
Style – Oil Painting Exhibition of Pengsi, Poly Art Museum, Beijing, January 5 - 12, 2008
Representation Of Realistic Art – The Fifth Chengdu Biennale, Century City New International Conreutial & Exhibition Center, July 24-Auguest 21, 2011
Cai Mo Si Wen Painting Art Exhibition, Luyin Art Museum, Jinan, Shangdong, May 25 - 30, 2013

ILLUSTRATED:
Style – Oil Painting Exhibition of Pengsi, Poly Art Museum, Hanno Art Gallery, Triumph Art Space, Beijing, 2005-2007, color illustrated, pp. 50-51

Born in Hengyang, Hunan in 1980, Peng Si graduated from the Department of Printmaking at the China Central Academy of Fine Arts in 2004. Unlike other contemporary artists of the ‘85 New Wave and those from after this period—who tend to adopt an intense, rowdy, even noisy style—Peng Si, as a young artist, is more inclined to present a quiet and peaceful tone to express his convictions and plights with a calmer, more collected artistic language. Born in the 1980s, the artist practiced Chinese calligraphy since a young age, and the styles of the Wei and the Jin Dynasties in particular have left an indelible mark on how he forms his clever strokes. The natural and timeless demeanor of that period commands a clear influence on his work. Four years of academic training, moreover, helped the artist lay a solid foundation which shapes his art. Before graduation, an encounter with a Buddhist leader on his way to Mount Emei prompted him to ponder the deep meanings in life and artistic creation. Over time, Peng Si realized the soothing nature of art; he finds that making art is a path to achieving peace of mind. His encounters and experiences are transformed into a silent, melancholic, and reflective ambiance that enshrouds his canvas.

Painted in 2005, this piece is considered a highly representative male portrait by Peng Si. With a clean and handsome look, the man has one butterfly flies around him while another perches calmly on his shoulder as his companions. He gazes directly outside the canvas and looks at the viewers, projecting a persistent look that cannot be ignored. No doubt, the artist is skillful at contrasting different forces. Between a relaxed and intense situation, he brings life to this calm, elegant, and even slightly ambiguous painting. The artist precisely depicts how the man contemplates and questions the world as he coldly gazes outside the canvas.