About the Work
We’re pleased to announce Rescuing a Damsel in Distress (2023) by Yesiyu Zhao, a new hand-finished series of 15. One of our 2023 select Artists On The Rise, Zhao’s first solo exhibition at Harper’s, titled Wanderers, opened this past weekend in East Hampton, New York. Zhao’s unique print series is based on their painting of the same name, exhibited earlier this year at Make Room (Los Angeles) during Frieze Week. Zhao hand-finished each print over a period of several months, using acrylic paint atop archival pigment on 300gsm cotton rag paper to alter the individual compositions, resulting in a dimensional body of work that reflects the artist’s talented eye for transformation. “Growing up, before I came to America, I remember my dad showing me classic Western movies. Typically, they’d include the heroic cowboy saving the damsel in distress. This cinematic trope has ingrained itself into gender roles of society, becoming the status quo. In this painting, I reconfigured these traditional symbols, challenging the fixed image of gender presentation. The cowboy and the damsel are now non-binary Chinese opera stars; the cowboy’s archetypal horse has become my lion. The original work (Rescuing a Damsel in Distress, 2023, oil on linen, 30.00 x 60.00 in / 76.20 x 152.40 cm) was painted onto a surface designed in the shape of a Chinese fan. Traditionally, fans feature drawings of Chinese watercolor landscapes, flowers, or words. I heightened the work's feminine tone by using overtly pink hues, and replaced the landscape with a giant Beijing opera face (specifically 花旦 beauty) to serve as the sublime background, framed by wavy hair and the figure’s all-encompassing presence. For the print series, I wanted to transform each work significantly, bringing light to multiple compositional choices. From palette to facial expression, the medium and format allowed me to explore multiple ideas and scenarios within the fan concept.” — Yesiyu Zhao
Artist Biography
Yesiyu Zhao has held solo exhibitions at Harper’s (East Hampton), Make Room (Los Angeles), and David Castillo Gallery (Miami). Select group exhibitions include presentations at Columbus Museum of Art (Columbus, OH), Harper’s (Los Angeles), and David Castillo Gallery. The artist lives and works in Brooklyn, New York.
Authentication & Resale
Signed and numbered by the artist en verso. This work is also accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity signed and numbered by Exhibition A.
Be sure to keep your Certificate of Authenticity (COA) in a safe place. We are unable to replace or reissue COAs.
Framing
Please contact help@exhibitiona.com to frame this work. Framed artwork is custom framed once it is ordered. Allow 3-5 weeks for framing and delivery.
FRAME
All of our frames are made from sustainably sourced engineered hardwood that is manufactured in the USA. Frames are available in Black or White Matte and Walnut.
MAT
Prints are hinged to a conservation quality, acid-free and lignin-free Cellulose matboard, using acid-free polyethylene cloth tape. Each mat’s surface paper is fade and bleed resistant and is attached to a conversation quality foam-core board. Some of our work (typically those pieces with a deckled edge) is floated on the matboard with spacers to separate the artwork from the glazing.
GLAZING
We use museum quality .060 mm plexiglass to frame your work. It blocks 82-85% of UV rays to prevent color fading from exposure to light, protecting your art for years to come.
DIMENSIONS
Our White and Black frames have a ⅞” wide flat face and are 15/16” deep. Mats are 1” wide for prints up to 8” x 10”. Mats are 2” wide for prints larger than 8” x 10”.
Our Natural and Walnut frames have a ¾” wide flat face and are 1 ⅛” deep. Mats are 1” wide for prints up to 8” x 10”. Mats are 2” wide for prints larger than 8” x 10”.
Any artwork that is floated will be placed in a frame that has a ⅝” wide flat face and is 1 5/16” deep. Work will be floated with a 1” border around it.
Shippings & Returns
Unframed work ships within 5 business days of your order. Framed artwork is custom framed once it is ordered. Please allow 2-4 weeks for framing and delivery. Need it faster? Expedited options may be available by emailing help@exhibitiona.com. All work ships from the US. International customers are responsible for any customs, duty, or VAT charges.
If you change your mind after placing your order, please email us at help@exhibitiona.com within 24 hours. We will not be able to accommodate cancellations for framed orders after that time period (as your frame will have been ordered and cut within that time period). We may not be able to accommodate your request to cancel your order for an unframed work after 24 hours if it has been packaged and processed by our fulfillment center.
We are unable to accept returns on custom framed artwork. Our general policy is that we do not accept returns. If your print arrives damaged or does not meet your expectations, you may be eligible for a replacement or return. Any issues must be reported within 5 business days of receipt by emailing help@exhibitiona.com.
