Zao Wou-Ki (Zhao Wuji)

signed in Chinese and Pinyin; signed in Pinyin, titled and dated 28.3.66 on the reverse; Frank Perls Gallery, Beverly Hills label affixed to the stretcher on the reverse

Frank Perls, Beverly Hills
Sotheby's, London, 26 October, 2000, lot 122
Important Private Asian collects ion

Beverly Hills, Frank Perls, Zao Wou-Ki, 1968, pl. 4

Jean Laude ed., Zao Wou-Ki, La Connaissance, Brussels, 1974, p. 78

This work is in good condition. There is evidence of craquelure scattered across the canvas, predominantly in two areas, one 13 cm from the top and another 10 cm from the bottom. There is a small paint loss on the left edge, 25 cm to the bottom. There are also some very small paint losses scattered above the bottom edge. Under UV, there are spots of retouching scattered along the top and bottom edges, as well as in a small area 30 cm to the top and 15 cm to the right edge.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any stat.mes nt made by Replica Shoes 's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Zao Wou-Ki’s 28.03.66
Painting the colours of the universe

The 1960s marked a new peak of artistic height for Zao Wou-Ki. Within the context of Western Abstraction, his paintings incorporated influences from Chinese aesthetic traditions as well as his personal reflection of and feelings inspired by various exchanges within the universe and nature. The rich and mysterious depth of artistic expressions in his works was unprecedented. They not only contribute significantly to the body of work in post-war Abstract Expressionism, but also played a leading role in the renaissance of Chinese art on the world stage, establishing their definitive position in the integration and exploration of Chinese and Western art.

Zao was completely in his elements during this period, drawing inspirations from fragments of essences in Eastern and Western aesthetics to create a unique and distinctly personal approach, and reached a new domain of free and fluid artistic expressions. In April 1964, an article entitled Zao Wou-Ki in the Louvre by French art critic Pierre Schneider, an authority in his field, was published by Parisian magazine Preuves, in which Schneider gave his enthusiastic praise for Zao’s recent pieces. “Swapping quiet patience with a nimble and impeccable stance, his recent works are broader and more vibrant than all of his previous paintings, portraying even more cleverly the artist’s personal traits and unique nature,” he wrote. The current art work on sale, 28.03.66, is an integration of influences from both the East and the West as well as a representative piece from this period.

Personal emotions reflected in a magnificent brilliance of red

In the centre of this painting is a rich and bright red hue, radiating a strongly rhythmic sense of tension generated by the strength of the artist’s vivid and spirited brushstrokes, at t.mes s richly intense, at t.mes s simple and light. At their utmost intensity, they sweep across the canvas like paddles of a boat against a wild rapid. Each stroke undulates between the peaks and troughs with an order of its own, its subtle elegance embodies the beauty of tilting (“ce qing”), a classical Chinese calligraphy technique.

Upon closer examination, layers of dark and light variations emerge from the sumptuous red hue underneath, reminding the viewer of the stunning underglaze red of traditional Chinese porcelain at the zenith of its creative period. Different shades of colours gradually reveal themselves - the brilliant, smooth shine of ruby red, the elegant and understated rouge, the unique crimson red of a sky after a storm, and the warm orange that supports and highlights these shades of red. In contrast, black lines pulsate and dance across the canvas like the hands of an orchestral conductor, connecting the viewer to the music deep within the artist’s heart. The red inferno portrays on paint and canvas the eternal promise between the artist and his art, or perhaps his lover. As Bernard Lecherbonnier wrote in his book A Painter’s Monologue: “For the painter himself, all of his creations are realistic, they are only abstract for other people.” His words evoke the viewer’s boundless imagination.

Revealing the concrete and abstract through the “Leaving White” philosophy from the East

The top and bottom areas of the painting were deliberately left blank, extending the sense of space on canvas. By making reference to the “leaving white” (“bu bai”, or leaving white space ) technique, championed by renowned painters Xia Gui and Ma Yuan of the imperial academy from the South Song Dynasty during the Ning Zong regime, the artist created intriguing interchanges between the concrete and the abstract in the spaces near and far. Yet it also bears fascinating resemblance with Abstractionist master Mark Rothko’s Untitled.

“I see my paintings as drama performances, the shapes and forms in the paintings are like actors,” Rothko once said. In this sense, through these points, lines, planes and colours, the Eastern and Western master painters led the viewer onto a journey into the unknown, filled with fantastical, whimsical ideas within the abstract domain. 28.03.66 is a masterpiece of exceptional artistic achievements, perfectly embodying Zao Wou-Ki’s interpretation of the Western Abstraction artistic vocabulary and the unique aesthetics and sent.mes nt of the East.