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Lot Essay
‘It’s not easy to break free. Everybody is bound by tradition—I by two.’ ——Zao Wou-Ki
10.05.62 is a tour de force among Zao Wou-ki’s powerful works from the ‘Hurricane Period’. Initially belonging to the artist’s own collection, this painting has been included in major exhibitions and publications. Since its first public appearance in the artist’s solo retrospective in Europe held at Museum Folkwang in Germany in 1965, the masterpiece has subsequently been exhibited in 22 key retrospectives and solo exhibitions covering three continents of Asia, Europe, and America. Scholars today regard it as the most important representative of Zao’s peak during this period. The appearance of such an exceptional painting in auction thus presents an unrivalled opportunity to the public.
Executed on a large rectangular canvas, 10.05.62 is first and foremost characterised by its Z-shaped composition that resembles a mountain ridge. A trademark from the ‘Hurricane Period’, this compositional structure contains inexhaustible energy that continues to burst out from the expansive background, like a tremendous force spreading across the universe. The brushwork is powerful yet delicate, expressive yet fluid. As for the palette, the overall picture is defined by a distinctive earthy tone, also an iconic feature from this period. In addition, black, white and ochre paint is employed to create ever-changing variations of colour planes that add rhythm to the pictorial space. Additional planes in black and white at the top further electrify the composition like lightning hitting the sky covered with swirling dark clouds. This interplay of light and shadow resonates also with the powerful strokes located at the centre, which seems to have conjured a thunderstorm threatening to cut the canvas into two halves. Also striking is the pale ink-like marks around the centre; they sweep across the surface like a gust of wind that not only destabilizes the scene, but also introduces a layering effect to the volumetric surface. Furthermore, the bright white and lime green accents bring luminosity to the work. All in all, these dynamic colours and unrestrained lines with profound visual impact not only signal the artist’s eschewal of the earlier ‘oracle-bone’ style, but also represent a new chapter in his career that continued to influence his art for decades to come.
Beginning in 1958, Zao attempted to liberate himself from the constraints posed by the technical traditions in the East and West. Instead, he experimented with a bold and innovative method that fuses Western oil painting and traditional Chinese painting and calligraphy. This paradigm shift from representation to abstraction resulted in a new and unique approach to lyrical abstraction. Between 1957 and 1958, when this shift began to take place, Zao was voyaging around the world with his friends, Pierre Soulages and his wife Colette. This trip proved to be life-changing for the artist and deeply informed his subsequent work. In New York, he learnt new theories about avant-garde art including American Abstract Expressionism and Action Painting, which in turn gave him the courage to challenge tradition and free himself from it. Zao also returned to Asia after a decade-long hiatus during the trip and stayed in Tokyo and Kyoto for about three weeks. His stay in Japan was short but it played a pivotal role in his understanding of art. The artist was touched by how calligraphy, an ancient art form, continued to thrive in modern Japan. It motivated him to incorporate elements of traditional Chinese calligraphy into his experimentation of abstraction.
When 10.05.62 was created in the early 1960s, the modern art scene was putting Zao in the international spotlight. With the enthusiastic support of Galerie de France in Paris and Kootz Gallery in New York, he held many successful solo exhibitions in Europe and America to showcase his maturing approach that merged Eastern and Western techniques as much as aesthetic concepts. Soon, his paintings became greatly appreciated by collectors and art critics; they gradually entered both globally renowned institutions and esteemed private collections. Today, Zao’s paintings can be found in the permanent collections of over 150 art institutions around the world, including Musée d'Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris, Museum of Modern Art, New York, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, and Tate Modern.
10.05.62 is a tour de force among Zao Wou-ki’s powerful works from the ‘Hurricane Period’. Initially belonging to the artist’s own collection, this painting has been included in major exhibitions and publications. Since its first public appearance in the artist’s solo retrospective in Europe held at Museum Folkwang in Germany in 1965, the masterpiece has subsequently been exhibited in 22 key retrospectives and solo exhibitions covering three continents of Asia, Europe, and America. Scholars today regard it as the most important representative of Zao’s peak during this period. The appearance of such an exceptional painting in auction thus presents an unrivalled opportunity to the public.
Executed on a large rectangular canvas, 10.05.62 is first and foremost characterised by its Z-shaped composition that resembles a mountain ridge. A trademark from the ‘Hurricane Period’, this compositional structure contains inexhaustible energy that continues to burst out from the expansive background, like a tremendous force spreading across the universe. The brushwork is powerful yet delicate, expressive yet fluid. As for the palette, the overall picture is defined by a distinctive earthy tone, also an iconic feature from this period. In addition, black, white and ochre paint is employed to create ever-changing variations of colour planes that add rhythm to the pictorial space. Additional planes in black and white at the top further electrify the composition like lightning hitting the sky covered with swirling dark clouds. This interplay of light and shadow resonates also with the powerful strokes located at the centre, which seems to have conjured a thunderstorm threatening to cut the canvas into two halves. Also striking is the pale ink-like marks around the centre; they sweep across the surface like a gust of wind that not only destabilizes the scene, but also introduces a layering effect to the volumetric surface. Furthermore, the bright white and lime green accents bring luminosity to the work. All in all, these dynamic colours and unrestrained lines with profound visual impact not only signal the artist’s eschewal of the earlier ‘oracle-bone’ style, but also represent a new chapter in his career that continued to influence his art for decades to come.
Beginning in 1958, Zao attempted to liberate himself from the constraints posed by the technical traditions in the East and West. Instead, he experimented with a bold and innovative method that fuses Western oil painting and traditional Chinese painting and calligraphy. This paradigm shift from representation to abstraction resulted in a new and unique approach to lyrical abstraction. Between 1957 and 1958, when this shift began to take place, Zao was voyaging around the world with his friends, Pierre Soulages and his wife Colette. This trip proved to be life-changing for the artist and deeply informed his subsequent work. In New York, he learnt new theories about avant-garde art including American Abstract Expressionism and Action Painting, which in turn gave him the courage to challenge tradition and free himself from it. Zao also returned to Asia after a decade-long hiatus during the trip and stayed in Tokyo and Kyoto for about three weeks. His stay in Japan was short but it played a pivotal role in his understanding of art. The artist was touched by how calligraphy, an ancient art form, continued to thrive in modern Japan. It motivated him to incorporate elements of traditional Chinese calligraphy into his experimentation of abstraction.
When 10.05.62 was created in the early 1960s, the modern art scene was putting Zao in the international spotlight. With the enthusiastic support of Galerie de France in Paris and Kootz Gallery in New York, he held many successful solo exhibitions in Europe and America to showcase his maturing approach that merged Eastern and Western techniques as much as aesthetic concepts. Soon, his paintings became greatly appreciated by collectors and art critics; they gradually entered both globally renowned institutions and esteemed private collections. Today, Zao’s paintings can be found in the permanent collections of over 150 art institutions around the world, including Musée d'Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris, Museum of Modern Art, New York, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, and Tate Modern.