Lot 45 | Yan Pei-Ming | "Kasper König 291193"

PEI-MING, YAN
1960 Shanghei

Title: "Kasper König 291193".
Date: 1993.
Technique: Oil on canvas.
Measurement: 180 x 150cm.
Notation: Titled, dated and signed verso: "Kasper König 291193" 1993 Yan Pei-Ming.


Literature:
- Bonami, Francesco (ed.): Yan Pei-Ming. New York 2017, p. 47, ill.

Provenance:
- Kasper König Collection, Berlin (directly from the artist)

The artist Yan Pei-Ming is known for his imposing, monumental portraits, which reveal an impressive intensity and depth with an expressive brushstroke. His works, which are predominantly monochrome, capture not only the outward appearance of his models, but also their inner conflicts and emotional complexity. Pei-Ming's art oscillates between personal identity and universal humanity, taking up historical and political themes and thus building a bridge between East and West. After completing his studies at the École des Beaux-Arts in Dijon in 1987, Pei-Ming created a series of large-format Mao motifs, with which he finally achieved his international breakthrough in 1991 with a solo exhibition at the Centre Pompidou. He later worked on a series of works depicting people from the margins of society, before motifs from pop culture and influential historical figures also found their way into his work.

Portraits as a mirror of the soul
Monochrome portraits play an important role in Pei-Ming's oeuvre. The grey tones that dominate his works create a feeling of timelessness and reverie, which is sometimes intensified by the choice of motif. Pei-Ming succeeds in portraying the human face as a mirror of the soul by elevating his subjects from the shadows of everyday life and monumentalising their presence. The portraits are not only visual representations, but also psychological studies that challenge the viewer to explore the complex layers of identity, power and mortality. By refraining from using colour, Pei-Ming forces the viewer to focus on the nuances of light and shadow, creating a fascinating tension in his works.

Fruitful symbiosis: Yan Pei-Ming's portrait of Kasper König
Pei-Ming's remarkable style is also striking in the portrait of Kasper König from 1993, which is on offer here. With broad, rapid brushstrokes, the artist not only achieves an extraordinary plasticity, but also conveys the emotional world of a busy curator. The painting should be interpreted less as a reflection on König as an influential curator and more as a testimony to the close relationship between König and Pei-Ming. As an almost contemporary historical document, the work provides an impression of their symbiotic collaboration in the early 1990s.