Zhang Yu

signed ZHANG YU and dated 1999.11

China, Beijing, Deutche Botschaft Peking, Farbe Pinsel Tusche: Heidi Meyer and Zhang Yu, 2000, p. 8
USA, New York, Goedhuis Contemporary, Divine Light: Ink Paintings by Zhang Yu, 8-31 December, 2004, p. 31
United Kingdom, London, Saatchi Gallery, Ink: The Art of China, 19 June - 5 July, 2012, p. 58

Zhang Yu 1986-2003, Tao Water Art Gallery , Barnstable, United States, 2003, p. 77
Kuo, Jason C., Chinese Ink Painting Now, Distributed Art Publishers, New York, USA; Timezone 8, Hong Kong, China, 2010, p. 103

Overall in very good condition. Upon close inspection, there is minor foxing visible in bare areas of the image, which can be improved with restoration. Framed size: 210.2 x 193 cm; 82 5/8 x 76 in.
"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 statement made by Sotheby'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."

Recognised as a scholar and academic, Zhang is an important figure in the development of ink art in Mainland China. With a focus on the medium of ink and removal of brushwork, Zhang produced his magnificent Divine Light series (LOT 509) in the 1990s—a pivotal time of experimentation for contemporary art in China. The nonfigurative series is considered an important breakthrough because it is appreciated simultaneously in both the traditional and contemporary worlds. "I adopted a way of thinking that did not come from the Chinese tradition, nor from Western art history. It was a new type of non-figurative image that expressed the spirit of ink through graphic representation. It erases the brushwork through repeated saturation and building up of pigment, so that the viewer can directly experience the impact of the image itself."¹

Born in Tianjin, Zhang Yu graduated from the Tianjin Academy of Arts and Crafts in 1988. He serves as Chief Editor of several modern ink and wash painting journals and as Dean of the Artistic Design Department at the Tianjin Vocational College. He now lives and works in Beijing. For over two decades, Zhang's works have been exhibited extensively both in China and abroad, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Irish Museum of Modern Art, Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, National Art Museum of China, Shanghai Art Museum, and Taipei Fine Arts Museum.

¹Zhang Yu Discusses His Works in "Ink Art: Past as Present in Contemporary China", The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA, 2014. Video.