Tang Wei Min

TANG WEI MIN (China, 1971)
"Young man", 2005.
Oil on canvas adhered to board.
Signed in Chinese characters.
Measurements: 80 x 60 cm; 93 x 72 cm (frame).

This painting is a remarkable example of how Tang Wei Min fuses European academic technique with the cultural richness of China's traditional ethnic groups.

Tang Wei Min has used a hyper-realistic technique to capture her features. The girl's dark eyes look directly at the viewer with an expression that combines serenity, solemnity and a hint of melancholy. There is no smile, which gives the figure a timeless dignity. The treatment of the skin is soft, almost porcelain, contrasting with the rougher textures of her clothing and the background. The screened lighting brings out the volume of her cheeks and nose.

The clothing is detailed and richly textured, reflecting the artist's interest in folk costumes (probably inspired by the ethnic minorities of southwest China). The head is headdressed with a turban or tall cap of dark, textured fabric that frames her face. She wears large, heavy silver earrings. On the chest, an impressive necklace or breastplate of silver beads and copper ornaments resting on a dark undergarment stands out. The artist has succeeded in capturing the cool sheen and physical weight of the metal. He wears a cream-toned outer jacket with wide sleeves. The edges and cuffs are decorated with swathes of geometric embroidery in earth tones, suggesting meticulous craftsmanship. The skirt and belt show warmer tones. The fabric appears heavy, with deep pleats suggesting volume.

While the face is painted with an invisible brushstroke for softness, the clothing and background have a looser, more impastoed brushstroke. The background is abstract, with a texture reminiscent of an old wall. The beige, gold and cream tones harmonize with the clothing, ensuring that the figure blends into the space.

The painting conveys a sense of calm and mystery. Although it is a portrait of a girl or young woman, the gravity of her posture and the richness of her attire give her a majestic, almost regal presence. It is a celebration of tradition through a romantic and technically classical lens.

Tang Wei Min was born in Yong Zhou, Hunan province of China. In 1991, he graduated from the Art Department of Hunan Norma College, where he majored in oil painting. In 2001, he was accepted into a graduate study program in the Painting Department at Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts. Since then, his career became unstoppable, and in 2003 he was honored for his work which is acquired and exhibited by the Beijing Museum of Fine Arts.

Tang is a Zen practicing Buddhist and his work is filled with symbols of Buddhism. Tang currently lives in a monastery near his hometown, in order to be spiritually clean for painting art, and to be surrounded by the objects he portrays in his art, the world of ancient China. Tang considers the art of painting as his way of bringing harmony, balance and beauty to the world.