Lot 799
  • 799

Wang Luyan

Estimate
50,000 - 70,000 HKD
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Description

  • Wang Luyan
  • W Bike
  • installation, bicycle
title printed onto bike in Chinese, numbered 14/25 and dated 1996

Provenance

Chinese Century Gallery, Paris
Acquired by the present owner from the above

Exhibited

China, Beijing, Ullens Center for Contemporary Art, Our Future: The Guy & Myriam Ullens Foundation Collection, 19 July - 12 October, 2008, pp. 126-127

Condition

This work is generally in good condition. There are scattered scratches and paint loss overall inherent to the nature of the work. Please note it was not examined under ultraviolet light.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Catalogue Note

Wang Luyan created the installation W Bike in 1995. When propelled with the pedals, the bicycle goes backwards. It is an important concrete manifestation of the artist’s concept of “logical paradox,” an important guiding principle of his art in the nineties. He believes that opposing logic and actual experience creates estrangement. Wang was an enthusiastic early participant in contemporary Chinese art; he was part of the first Star Art Exhibition in 1979. In 1988, he formed the New Analysts Group with Gu Dexin, Chen Shaoping, and Cao Youlian. Aiming to excise all traces of individuality and painterliness in their art, they insisted that all members follow the rules of artmaking and work collaboratively to create works marked by precision, geometry, and quantitative analysis. By introducing geometry into art, the New Analysts Group has become a unique voice in contemporary Chinese art.