Can Portrait No. 10

This original figurative sketch explores performance, costume, and the construction of identity through outward presentation.

Zheng Hao’s The Can Archive is based on the idea that people are continually processed through acts of observation. The artist selects certain characteristics—gesture, clothing, posture, expression—and reorganizes them into compact visual records.

In Can Portrait No. 10, clothing plays a central role in this transformation.

The expanded skirt dramatically alters the proportions of the body, while the hand-on-hip pose creates a deliberate sense of self-presentation. The figure appears aware of being seen, introducing an element of performance that distinguishes this work from the more incidental or observational poses elsewhere in the series.

This raises a broader question within Zheng Hao’s project: how much of an individual is observed, and how much is consciously presented?

Costume can conceal the body while simultaneously revealing social role, personality, taste, and attitude. The figure therefore becomes both person and constructed image.

Through this tension between observation and performance, Can Portrait No. 10 expands the series beyond physical likeness and toward the ways identity is staged, worn, and communicated through appearance.

Can Portrait No. 10 captures a figure whose identity is shaped through costume, posture, and theatrical presence. The subject stands confidently with one hand placed at the waist, while a voluminous skirt expands outward across the lower half of the composition. At the side, a fan-like or parasol-like form introduces another layer of movement, reinforcing the sense that the figure is performing rather than simply standing still. Zheng Hao uses loose, overlapping lines to suggest fabric rather than describe every fold precisely. The dress becomes a field of movement, extending the body into a larger silhouette and transforming clothing into part of the figure’s character. Within The Can Archive, each person is filtered through the artist’s gaze and compressed into a different visual “can.” In this work, what remains most strongly is not facial likeness, but presentation: the pose, costume, gesture, and confidence through which the figure occupies the page. The result feels suspended between portrait, fashion study, and performance—an individual transformed into a distinctive visual type through the language of dress and bodily attitude.

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Each artwork is carefully prepared and securely packaged to help ensure safe delivery. Protective wrapping, reinforced corner protection, and sturdy outer packaging are used to safeguard the artwork throughout transit. Package Dimensions: 34 × 42 × 9 cm Package Weight: 0.8 kg If you require custom framing or professional mounting services, please contact us by email before placing your order or prior to shipment. As framing requirements, packaging specifications, destination, and shipping conditions may vary for each artwork, framing and shipping costs will be individually assessed and quoted on a per-artwork basis. Our team will recommend an appropriate packing and shipping solution based on the specific work to help ensure it arrives safely and ready for your space.

As an original sketch on paper, this artwork should be displayed and stored with particular attention to light, humidity, and surface protection. Keep the work away from direct sunlight and prolonged exposure to strong artificial light, as excessive UV exposure may gradually discolor the paper and affect the drawn surface. Display the artwork in a stable indoor environment away from excessive humidity, heat, and significant temperature fluctuations. Avoid positioning it near radiators, fireplaces, air-conditioning vents, or damp areas. For long-term display, archival-quality matting and backing materials together with UV-protective glazing are recommended. The artwork should not come into direct contact with non-archival adhesives or acidic materials. Avoid touching the drawing surface with bare hands. When handling is necessary, carefully hold the sheet by its edges with clean, dry hands or appropriate protective gloves.