Rights Infringement

2006

Chinese, 1945 - 2017

In keeping with the “ink play” painting tradition, the contemporary Chinese artist Wan Qingli has recently produced a group of works that are full of humor and irony. Wan’s first solo exhibition, titled INKED: Wan Qingli, was held at the Asian Art Museum in 2014. After the exhibition, the artist made a gift to SAM of this painting, in honor of the curator who organized the show, former Foster Foundation Curator of Chinese Art, Josh Yiu.

With an image of a mouse looking at a computer mouse, the artist offers a sharp pun through a rather simple image. This painting makes witty commentaries about image rights, in both the image and the inscription, which reads:

Every now and then one hears of so-called famous people filing lawsuits against infringements on their image rights. Now that electronic mice are everywhere, do the mice ladies and gentlemen have any plans?

Ink and color on paper

54 × 14in. (137.2 × 35.6cm)

Gift of the artist, in honor of Josh Yiu

2014.28

Provenance: The artist

Photo: QL Wan Studio

Not currently on view

Resources

Exhibition HistorySeattle, Washington, Seattle Art Museum (Asian Art Museum), Inked: Wan Qingli, August 31, 2013 – June 29, 2014

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