A key proponent of the avant-garde movement and Cynical Realism movement during the 1980s in China, Wang Jinsong is a multiskilled artist who has mastered various media of art. After he received training under the Chinese painting department at the China Academy of Art in Hangzhou, Wang experimented with mediums other than ink painting such as oil painting, photography, videography and installation. In response to the rapid social reform and political change in the late 20th century, Wang produced artworks representing the historical transformations in China.

One of four works in the edition, the lot Clock/The Observer is a rare artwork that features the artist himself. Consisting of twelve photographs each taken in different landmarks and tourist sites of Beijing, the work implies the industrialization and urbanization of China through the passage of time.