The theme of this year's painting clearly states one - the makeup of desire. People's various desires are wrapped under various makeups. Desires are the intertwining of happiness and pain in life. Either straightforward or subtle, they will appear in makeup, forming a profound look of an era.
Inches: 15.7 x 15.7 in
Size without the frame: 40 x 40 cm
Country: China
Date: 2025
Materials: Acrylic and oil painting on board
Condition: well preserved
Creative themes and style | My works revolve around the creative concept of "The land of humanity, and the people upon it" . The people in the painting are people in nature, and the lines, shapes, and colors are close to nature. The nature in the painting is nature in the eyes of humans, existing in interaction with humans.I don’t pursue a series of works with a fixed and continuous style. I hope that the style of the pictures will synchronize with the changes in my life and always remain oscillating. The performance of the work must be in sync with the development of one's own life in order to be Sincere and powerful.Ideas are later.
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Artwork Interpretation
1. Subject and Imagery
A Restless Summer 17 takes still-life flowers as its subject, yet it is not a literal depiction. Instead, it conveys a tension between vitality and decay through the interplay of withering blossoms and heavy layers of paint. The true focus is not the flowers themselves, but “the sediment of time within objects,” transforming a simple vase of flowers into an allegory of life.
2. Form and Structure
The stems are exaggerated and bent, as if carrying an unseen weight or resisting their inevitable collapse. The petals are not carefully outlined but built up through thick strokes of color, giving them a sculptural presence. This “almost collapsing form” emphasizes the coexistence of fragility and resilience, pushing the work beyond mere still-life representation.
3. Composition and Space
The composition leans dramatically: the flowers droop to the lower right, while the vase’s red curve anchors the visual balance. The background and tabletop are treated as geometric planes, alternating between gray-purple and pale white. The dynamic quality of the still life arises from the diagonals and curved stems, creating movement within stillness.
4. Color and Texture
The palette is dominated by earthy reds, ochres, and golds, offset by cool grays and whites. The impasto technique produces thick accumulations of paint, making the petals and vase edges almost tangible. Color and texture combine to create a “palpable heaviness,” echoing the theme of withering life.
5. Brushwork and Expression
The brushstrokes are physical, leaving behind visible traces of the artist’s hand. Paint becomes not just a medium of depiction but an embodiment of time, energy, and consumption. Here, brushwork functions as “an imprint of energy” rather than merely a descriptive tool.
6. Theme and Emotion
The work constructs an ambiguous mood between decay and endurance. It carries both a mournful tone and a subtle resilience. Facing the drooping flowers, the viewer senses the restless end of summer and the quiet cooling of life.
Similar Works Reference
Vincent van Gogh, Sunflowers: Both use impasto to depict flowers, but while van Gogh emphasizes vitality and brilliance, this work focuses on presence within decline.
Paul Cézanne, Still Life with Apples: Cézanne’s structural use of color and form resonates with this painting’s sculptural approach to flowers.
Giorgio Morandi, Bottles and Jars: Morandi’s meditations on silence and time through everyday objects parallel this painting’s philosophical extension of still life.
Historically, this work weaves together Impressionist color sensibility, Expressionist intensity, and the abstract tendencies of modern still life, bridging tradition and contemporary practice.
Q1: What makes this painting unique?
A1: A Restless Summer 17 uses thick acrylic impasto to highlight the weight of withering blossoms, transforming still life into something that feels active, unsettled, and alive with presence.
Q2: Why are the vase and stems shown at such exaggerated angles?
A2: The slant enhances the dynamism of the scene, symbolizing both the flowers’ struggle and their inevitable decline, giving the still life a near-theatrical human quality.
Q3: What effect does the impasto technique create here?
A3: The thick application of paint gives the flowers and vase sculptural depth, making them almost touchable. This tangible quality makes the work particularly striking for private collections or exhibitions focused on materiality.
Q4: Compared with traditional still life painting, what is the artistic value here?
A4: Unlike representational still lifes, this painting expresses “strength within decay” through its sculptural brushwork and symbolic imagery. It stands as a contemporary case study of how still life can expand into deeper thematic territory, making it valuable for both collectors and scholars.
Q5: What kind of collector would this painting appeal to?
A5: It is ideal for those drawn to expressive painting and philosophical themes of life and time. Through impasto and symbolic form, the work offers both visual intensity and intellectual depth, making it a distinctive piece within any art collection.
What should I pay attention to when buying an artwork or its derivatives?
A: Click here to view ARTPHILOSO's Guide for Collectors.
More paintings from this series：
A Restless Summer 1 A Restless Summer 2 A Restless Summer 3 A Restless Summer 4 A Restless Summer 5
A Restless Summer 6 A Restless Summer 7 A Restless Summer 8 A Restless Summer 9 A Restless Summer 10
A Restless Summer 12 A Restless Summer 13 A Restless Summer 14 A Restless Summer 15 A Restless Summer 16
