Formerly trained in photography, Fei Tian is a brilliant work that exemplifies Song Yuan Yuan’s deft approach to painting. Utilising his skills as a photographer, Song takes inspiration and reference from captured images to embody a sense of desire and lure for reality and illusion. The artist’s visual lexicon is often based on his perceptions and feelings when situated in front of everyday, mundane spaces.
The present work evinces a surrealist quality, whereby Song analyses ideas such as aesthetics, decoration, and ornaments to define values and tastes within a particular living environment. Melding these elements together, Song creates a compelling composition where he engages in a dialogue with the sitter, known to be Fei Tian. The artist’s application of muted colours as well as his experimentation with light creates a stark juxtaposition of what is considered real and imagined.
Having graduated from the Luxun Academy in Shenyang, Song has exhibited works in both solo and group shows. He was honoured with his first solo exhibition ‘Examining Objects’ at Platform China, which received critical acclaim within Asia and abroad. Among his other projects, Song has also participated in ‘On | Off: China’s Young Artists In Concept And Practice’ curated by the Ullens Centre for Contemporary Art (UCCA), China.