Xin Dongwang (1963–2014) was born in Zhangjiakou, Hebei Province, China. As a teenager, he was self-taught in painting before graduating from the Art Department of Jinzhong Normal College in 1988. Throughout his career, he taught at the College of Fine Arts of Shanxi Normal University, the Oil Painting Department of Tianjin Academy of Fine Arts, and the Department of Painting of Tsinghua University Academy of Arts & Design. Xin’s work focuses on people from the lower and marginalized strata of society, reflecting the social transformations and livelihood challenges that emerged since China’s reform and opening-up.

According to Xin Dongwang’s wife, Zhang Hongfang, Guest portrays one of the artist’s distant relatives, Jianjun, who had come to the city in search of a job and sought help from Xin. The artist’s profound understanding of his subject is vividly expressed through Jianjun’s disheveled hair, his tense and uneasy posture, his awkward facial expression, and the carefully rendered details of his clothing. Standing before the painting, the viewer can almost sense Jianjun’s anxious breathing and even imagine the scent of sweat clinging to his body. Xin’s portrayal of Jianjun delivers a powerful emotional impact, yet through warmth and genuine human connection, the work softens the discomfort brought about by rapid social development.