Yin Zhaoyang

Oil on canvas
130 x 150 cm. 51 1/8 x 59 in.
Signed in Chinese and dated "2007" on the reverse
Yin Chaoyang
Yin Chaoyang’s earliest works in the Tiananmen Square series feature only the image of Tiananmen Square. Impacted by artists including Gerhard Richter,the square is often partly revealed in the painting. The complex texture and the thick,heavy red presented a sorrowful nostalgia. The series underwent a prominent change in 2007 - starting to appear crowds of people. It is supposed to be a common scene of the square,yet in Yin’s works,the crowds of people seem to be out of order,and convey profound sorrow.
Red Crowd shows an even grander scene,depicting crowds of people gathering at the Tiananmen Square under a red sky - this red era influenced the growth of Yin’s generation of artists. Through this theme,Yin ponders the relationship between individual and history. This artwork is based on real life images,including walls and people. However,Yin has also applied Richter’s style of blurring certain images and outlines of the people and the subje
A bold,sharp red is used,and emotions are presented through the gradual change of colours. The dull red in the background represents the controlling power at that time,and the glistening gold on the buildings as well as the leader’s photo represent the authority. The patches of colours are associated with the disorder among the people. Yin employed a delicate paintbrush to create an isolated viewing experience. It is as if the viewers are re-ex
The red flags,oppression,crowds,grand scene and heavy colours have showed the artist’s concern about the red era. Nevertheless,the artwork was de-politicised and instead showing the “great era” and the collective emotions it recalls. Through his art,Yin reflects on his formative experiences,and subsequently on the spiritual characteristics of this whole era,the position of the individual in history and the emotions within.