Zao Wou-Ki (Zhao Wuji)

signed in pinyin and Chinese; signed in pinyin, titled and dated 4.Sept.96 on the reverse

Cornette de Saint Cyr Paris, October 11, 2003, Lot 66
Private European Collection

This work is in very good condition. There is evidence of light wear along the bottom edge, predominately at the left and right corners of the work. There is evidence of very thin hairline craquelure at the top left corner. There is no evidence of restoration under UV.
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An afterglow that fills the skies – rippling with exquisiteness

Zao Wou-Ki 4.09.96 

“Upon the first glance at the painting, one can’t help but be struck by the magnificent colors, rich in their layers; the lingering charm of Zao’s brushstrokes fade quickly into the layers of colors that are gloomy yet luminescent, only to re-emerge with fury in the clashing blocks of colors. When you no longer stand back to perceive the work from a conceptual perspective in distance but begin to savor and relish the basic expressions of an artist from his every demeanor, you will no doubt observe elements of technical level (that seemed to have been long lost) beginning to resurface, as I have done. It felt as if I was looking into the void that is illuminated with light; a land that is shrouded in chaos yet feels fulfilled and skies created from free-flowing techniques of oil painting. In the midst of that very sky lies the world of Zao Wou-Ki; the source of light that illuminates the land, fulfilling the world of illusions and reality with of all-encompassing emergence.”
Xu Jiang, China Academy of Art President
Located by the bank of West Lake, the China Academy of Art (formerly Hangzhou National College of Art) was where Zao was initiated into the world of arts. In 1985, Zao and his wife revisited his alma mater to host a one-month painting seminar. Incidentally, the seminar turned out to be the last time that Zao would promote art as a teacher. Among the 27 students that took part in that very seminar, one would end up as the incumbent President of China Academy of Art today; and his name is Xu Jiang. In 1997, Xu relived the invaluable experience and made the aforementioned comments when he saw the collection of works that Zao created in the 1990s. Having been widely regarded as an exceptional artist, Xu Jiang not only endeavored to analyze the painting from a subjective, theoretical perspective but also attempted to take the standpoint of a creator to identify Zao’s techniques and mindset in the process of creation. Incidentally, Xu’s analysis serves as a useful interpretation for viewers wishing to better appreciate the artistic values of 4.09.96.

The stunning vista from atop

The 1990s witnessed the culmination of Zao’s status in the circle of painters around the world as Zao secured his place among the greatest artists that have “reached the top and hold all mountains in a single glance” (a line from the famous poem A View of Taishan by Du Fu). After his successful personal exhibition at the Galeries nationales du Grand Palais in 1981, Zao was immediately committed to tour exhibitions at major museums across the globe. In fact, before his completion of 4.09.96, he had just finished his tremendously successful exhibition “Infinite Image and Space - A Retrospective of Zao Wou-Ki” at the Hong Kong Museum of Art. Nevertheless, the worldly honors that Zao garnered did not diminish the earnest and pure passion he had for painting, nor had his past achievements driven him to become complacent or bounded by conventions. Just like other masters of Western painting (such as Henri Matisse and Pablo Picasso) of his time, Zao remained bold in his attempts even at the height of his career. His works during the period are characterized by daring use of colors. Not only was Zao fond of using pure colors, he had no inhibition about deploying flamboyant and eye-catching hues. And because of his background in oriental ink painting, Zao was well aware of the effective results of diluting paints. Utilizing oil paints that were light and translucent in texture, Zao integrated the techniques of color separation from ink painting and smudged the colors repeatedly. The end result was layers upon layers of brushstrokes that created a titillating, refreshing and joy-inducing image that faithfully reflected the artist’s pleasant and carefree mindset.
 
Depicting heaven on earth with poetic elegance

For Zao, painting had always been an inseparable part of his life, regardless of his perception towards the craft. In the 1960s, Zao had seen it as his struggle but a decade later, painting became his safe haven where he could seek spiritual refuge. Nothing pleased Zao more than all the time he had spent facing his canvas, holding a brush in his hand. During the 1990s, the canvas literally became Zao’s closest friend who offered the space where he could communicate and roam with freedom through his paintbrush. The artistic talents that Zao assimilated and cultivated around the world in his earlier days were aptly demonstrated in a natural manner through his sincere creations. The abstract presentation of atmospheric mixture in 4.09.96 stimulates endless imagination in the viewers’ mind; the thick and dominant brushstroke at the bottom of the painting resembles a vast horizon, with the vague silhouette of a mountain ahead in the distance. The sky depicted at the top of the image carries a subtle hint of rosy afterglow that gradually spreads out; the colors of ivory, silver and ocher at the center of the canvas seem to replicate the ever-changing brilliance from the sun and the moon that emanated their radiance. Such composition of imagery not only bears resemblance to the intangible artistic conception of Ni Zan (renowned Chinese painter during the Yuan Dynasty, famous for his style of expression through landscape paintings) but also shows traces of the staccato strokes that are characteristic of Monet in his scenery works. As the artist had remarked, “As I paint my life onto the canvas, I also wanted to paint a space that is invisible to the naked eye; a space of dreams where one could always remain in peace and serenity.” And Zao has done just that through 4.09.96, by presenting a spiritual nirvana in all its magnificence and glory to the viewers.