In 1990s, when Western paintings began to expand the artistic language of Chinese artists, Wu Yiming began a mission to reconcile the apparent differences between Chinese and Western painting. Known for his abstract paintings, his figures all lack facial expressions and often seem distorted or stretched. Yet, however contemporary Wu Yiming’s figures are, his technique is grounded in the ancient Chinese tradition of ink painting. With the use of rice paper and ink-wash technique, Wu merges the contemporary with the ancient, the new with the old.

Under Wu Yiming’s brush in Untitled, the figure emerges from thin layers of ink. Contrasting from the strong emphasis of the hat and the instrument in the figure’s hand, the facial features of the figure remains obscure, intentionally left black by the artist. The ambiguous work recalls a sense of alienation that characterizes Wu Yiming’s work, it becomes a critique of the contemporary Chinese society and an acute judgment of the anonymity and psychological distance observed by Wu Yiming in this rapidly changing and modernizing community.