Born in Hebei Province, Beijing-based artist Yan Lei is considered one of the most unconventional, rebellious contemporary artists of his time. Lei introduced a new method of painting that deconstructs and reinterprets photographs which are based on experiences from everyday life. He once said, “Painting, after all, is just a mindless representation of an image you might see in a photograph”. In 1991, Lei mastered his training in printmaking at the China Academy of Art. Though he also experimented with videography and installation, his works on canvas are especially celebrated.

With traditional and contemporary imagery from Chinese and Western pop culture, Lei’s works explore the relationship between the artist, the painting and the international contemporary art scene. The lot, Climbing Space Series, is an abstract monochromatic work on canvas that offers a personal response to the purpose and value of art in the contemporary art world amidst the rapid globalization.