The artwork, titled “Green Wall series No. 5,” was created by Zhang Xiaogang in 2008. This piece belongs to the Magic Realism art movement and falls under the genre of genre painting.
The artwork portrays an individual lying on their stomach with an open book, set within a confined room space. The room is characterized by impersonal, rigid lines and limited furniture, consisting of mainly utilitarian items, a hanging light bulb, and a small device on a tripod in the background. The figure’s nudity juxtaposed with the austere surroundings evokes a sense of vulnerability and introspection. Various directional arrows and sketch-like lines contribute to an atmosphere of surrealism and intentional ambiguity. The muted color palette, predominantly featuring earthy tones, accentuates the somber mood of the piece.
