.jpg?w=1)
Lot Essay
If Zao Wou-Ki's works from the Hurricane Period and before reflect his interweaving of Chinese and Western artistic languages, his works from the 1980s take this convergence further, elevating Zao's meld of Chinese and foreign styles to an unpercendented height. It was in this period that Zao arrived at an ever-deeper revelation of his sense of self in art– attested by multiple solo exhbitions of oil paintings at prominent museums in Europe. From 17.12.82, we can see the artist's confidence and the coaslescene of artistic influences on him.
"I want to paint what cannot be seen: the breath of life, the wind, the various forms life can take, the birth of colours, and the way they merge." -Zao Wou-Ki
Among a sea of luminous paint, the dots, and smears bring to mind the Western interpretation of colour. The visual impact as presented in 17.12.82 is not seen before the '80s. The light source from the upper right corner, rendering a Western approach, centres the attention on the middle of the composition – ripples of immeasurable power on the canvas, instilling an immense momentum and feelings in Zao's sweeping colours. A storming sea, surging waves rocking and crashing to a tipping point and burst into splashes of violet, blue, ochre, and black hues. The composition evokes the raw, unlimited power and magnificence of the boundles nature, reminiscent of J.M.W. Turner's subliminal landscapes, immersing the viewers in an astounding visual experience in the world of Zao's through his adept command of oil painting.
The 1980s style of Zao highlights his role as pioneer and harbinger of a new epoch in the history of modern art. Much like Zhang Daqian's "splashed ink" technique, the variation of blue in 17.12.82 is indeed closely linked with the concept of traditional Chinese ink painting and the spiritual essence of Chinese landscape works. Colour has become the crux of the work, with no other distinguishable elements to serve as a reference or signifier. In ink painting, new colours are conincidentally created by the mixing of colours the moment coloured ink contacts the surface of the absorbent Xuan paper. 17.12.82, however, was not just about new colours but also blending them together to make natural transitions between different tones. To achieve such effect, Zao dilutes the paint and applies them carefully, reminding viewers of an ink painting.
With nothing to prove and no one to impress during the later periods, we can see from Untitled that Zao was painting for pure leisure with vivid, vibrant colours to reflect his alternate state of mind. While Untitled shares a faint similarity with 12.01.62 in terms of its horizontal composition, the structure was arranged rather differently.
Traditionally, the colour red symbolize all things auspicious, passion, as well as abundance. It is the theme colour for the most important festival in Chinese culture – Lunar New Year or Chinese New Year – that is believed to bring good luck and happiness. Letting the colour be the source of power here, Zao absorbs every element that has appeared in the paintings above – the rigid lines, strokes, and light. Letting go of these elements, Zao himself is also liberated from any restraints or personal aspiration of his art.
Strips of brilliant blue breaking through the dominating red washes, the structure of Untitled is driven by the tension between the red and the blue, the shifting yet resonant texture, arriving at a resemblance of the majestic Mark Rothko's No.1 (Royal Red and Blue). Being released through all worldly matters, Zao Wou-Ki's energy and enthusiasm for art and life continues to drive the artist to devote his energy in painting until the final days of his life.
"I want to paint what cannot be seen: the breath of life, the wind, the various forms life can take, the birth of colours, and the way they merge." -Zao Wou-Ki
Among a sea of luminous paint, the dots, and smears bring to mind the Western interpretation of colour. The visual impact as presented in 17.12.82 is not seen before the '80s. The light source from the upper right corner, rendering a Western approach, centres the attention on the middle of the composition – ripples of immeasurable power on the canvas, instilling an immense momentum and feelings in Zao's sweeping colours. A storming sea, surging waves rocking and crashing to a tipping point and burst into splashes of violet, blue, ochre, and black hues. The composition evokes the raw, unlimited power and magnificence of the boundles nature, reminiscent of J.M.W. Turner's subliminal landscapes, immersing the viewers in an astounding visual experience in the world of Zao's through his adept command of oil painting.
The 1980s style of Zao highlights his role as pioneer and harbinger of a new epoch in the history of modern art. Much like Zhang Daqian's "splashed ink" technique, the variation of blue in 17.12.82 is indeed closely linked with the concept of traditional Chinese ink painting and the spiritual essence of Chinese landscape works. Colour has become the crux of the work, with no other distinguishable elements to serve as a reference or signifier. In ink painting, new colours are conincidentally created by the mixing of colours the moment coloured ink contacts the surface of the absorbent Xuan paper. 17.12.82, however, was not just about new colours but also blending them together to make natural transitions between different tones. To achieve such effect, Zao dilutes the paint and applies them carefully, reminding viewers of an ink painting.
With nothing to prove and no one to impress during the later periods, we can see from Untitled that Zao was painting for pure leisure with vivid, vibrant colours to reflect his alternate state of mind. While Untitled shares a faint similarity with 12.01.62 in terms of its horizontal composition, the structure was arranged rather differently.
Traditionally, the colour red symbolize all things auspicious, passion, as well as abundance. It is the theme colour for the most important festival in Chinese culture – Lunar New Year or Chinese New Year – that is believed to bring good luck and happiness. Letting the colour be the source of power here, Zao absorbs every element that has appeared in the paintings above – the rigid lines, strokes, and light. Letting go of these elements, Zao himself is also liberated from any restraints or personal aspiration of his art.
Strips of brilliant blue breaking through the dominating red washes, the structure of Untitled is driven by the tension between the red and the blue, the shifting yet resonant texture, arriving at a resemblance of the majestic Mark Rothko's No.1 (Royal Red and Blue). Being released through all worldly matters, Zao Wou-Ki's energy and enthusiasm for art and life continues to drive the artist to devote his energy in painting until the final days of his life.