Wang Haiyang’s "Boundary" (2024) presents a surreal and evocative scene that blurs the line between human identity and transformation. The painting depicts two figures set against the backdrop of a mysterious forest, where the surroundings are both ambiguous and defined by sharp, detailed bamboo leaves. The use of contrast in the background emphasizes the surreal, dreamlike quality of the scene, inviting the viewer into an enigmatic, almost otherworldly space.

One figure embraces the other in an intimate yet unsettling manner. The first figure’s face is obscured by a dark fabric that seems almost like a silicone cover, lending her a sense of alienation and mystery. Her uncovered breasts are presented in a raw, exposed state, further accentuating the tension between concealment and vulnerability.

The second figure, in stark contrast, is portrayed in a state of transformation. Her body appears to pulse with organic, almost alien elements, as if in the midst of an evolutionary or metamorphic process. This figure seems caught between two states—human and something more primal, more organic—her form fluid and dynamic, emphasizing the transient and mutable nature of identity.

The embrace between the two figures suggests a complex relationship, one that transcends the physical, blurring boundaries between different forms of existence. The forest setting further amplifies this sense of mystery and transformation, positioning the figures within a natural world that is both familiar and strange. The painting invites viewers to reflect on the themes of change, identity, and the boundaries between self and other.

Wang Haiyang (b. 1984 in Shandong, China; currently lives and works between China and Italy) uses his sensitive perception of desire to depict the contradictory relationship between the "inner view" of the body and the "outer view" of the mundane world. His works are imbued with mysterious, futuristic tones, and retain a strong bond with Eastern philosophy. As Wang Haiyang himself said: "My work is a bow that is tightened, not an arrow that is released. What I want to describe is the uncalmable energy inside me, the surging force beneath the calm sea surface". In 2010, Wang Haiyang's first animation movie Freud, Fish and Butterfly won the Grand Prize at the Holland Animation Film Fest (HAFF). In 2012, Wang's film Double Fikret won the Silver Dove at the 55th DOK Leipzig Film Festival (Leipzig, Germany). In 2014, Wang won the Jury Nomination Award at the 3rd Huayu Youth Award in Sanya, China. His recent solo shows include Love Dart at Capsule Venice, Venice, Italy (2024), Wang Haiyang at Capsule Shanghai, Shanghai, China (2018)) and Wang Haiyang at White Space, Beijing, China (2018), By Himself at OCAT in Xi'an, China (2017); New Directions: Wang Haiyang at Ullens Center for Contemporary Art (UCCA) in Beijing, China (2016); Dynamic Field: Wang Haiyang at Minsheng Art Museum in Shanghai, China (2016).