亞洲現代與當代藝術 Modern and Contemporary Asian Art

creation of such an inclusive and equitable fusion reflects Zao Wou-
Ki’s unique mental imagery.
“I paint my own life. However, I also try to depict an invisible space
- that intangible dimension of dreams, a place that feels peaceful
even when caught between intense opposite forces”. - Zao Wou-Ki,
Autoportrait
A HARMONIOUS AND BOUNDLESS IMAGERY
“His paintings and lithographs are extremely fascinating. They
remind me of the sense of mysteriousness found in Paul Klee’s
paintings and simplicity in Ni Zan’s landscapes. It is no exaggeration
for me to say that Zao Wou-Ki is one of the greatest artists in the
world today.” Ieoh Ming Pei , 1980, New York
Zao’s name in Chinese, Wou-Ki, comes from the Taoist concept
of “endless, infinite” - a concept which first appeared in Lao Tzu’s
“Tao Te Ching” to define the permanence of the universe. Being
one of the most influential Chinese artists of all times, Zao Wou-
Ki skillfully reflected the Eastern philosophy of Taoism through the
forms of Western Abstract Expressionism. Having experienced
much historical unrest and cultural mobility, he painted works that
represent turning points during these transitional periods. From his
earlier phase in figurative art, the Klee-style images suggested a
lyrical abstraction that was essentially Eastern. Zao perfectly shaped
an interpretation of Eastern and Western Art concepts through
subtle imagination and his experiences of life, the universe, and
more.
In 1948, he moved from Shanghai to Paris and began his artistic
career in France. Influenced by Western European mainstream
schools in painting, he began experimenting with lithographs at
the printmaking workshop of Desjobert. This laid the foundation for
Zao Wou-Ki’s future production of works. At this time, Zao Wou-Ki
entered a phase of self-discovery. From 1949 to 1950, the influence
of Paul Klee could already be seen in many of his paintings. In
the work, “Le Soleil Rouge” (The Red Sun), the artist neglected
traditional perspectives, choosing instead to juxtapose blocks of
color. Looking at the painting’s surface, we can see how he used
shades of light blue as a base tone, matching it with a bright red
sun that reveal an artistic conception both mysterious and ethereal.
Those large blocks of color serve as even clearer evidence of a
style close to Western Expressionism that simultaneously exudes a
childlike playfulness. With the exception of two works from 1951,
which feature a customary signature on their lower-right corners,
his paintings from 1949 have been signed with an upside down
engraving at the center of the canvas. Providing insight into Zao
Wou-Ki’s thoughts and feelings during the creative process, his
signature is vertically engraved next to the red sun. This threesigned
work is extremely precious and rare.
Carefully examining the painting, it is also possible to see how
many simple black lines come together to form tree branches.
Indeed, the artist retained this unique brushstroke technique from
Chinese ink painting. These calligraphic lines, together with the
juxtaposed color blocks, unite Chinese and Western culture. The
Like the sun and moon, reality and illusion supplement each
other. With a strong Eastern cultural background, Zao Wou-
Ki was deeply influenced by traditional Chinese aesthetics and
Eastern cosmological concepts regarding life. On the canvas,
the mass of color which is the sun fully represents reality, while
the moon, impersonated by the lines, symbolizes an imaginary
world and resembles the inscriptions on oracle bones. As there’s
a hint of reality within imagination, and what is real might carry
something fictitious, the “mutuality between truth and fiction” is
an aesthetic consciousness unique to Chinese aesthetics. We live
in a dimension of periodic spatiotemporal transformation: “nonbeing”
is the premise of “being”, “existence” embodies the value
of “emptiness”. The sun represents reality, the moon imagination
- they are interdependent and utilize each other to form a whole.
This unity of thought concerning “fullness and emptiness, being
and not-being” laid the theoretical foundations to Chinese painting.
Illusion and reality supplement each other, as reality is derived from
concepts. Zao Wou-Ki’s works not only summarize the aesthetic
features of Chinese art, but they also emphasize the existence of
“void” through massive white backgrounds. The large masses of
color in the painting thereby innovated the expressive techniques
of Chinese painting, just as the rotation of all things in the universe
fully embody Lao Tzu’s cosmological concept about the harmony
found within nature.
Zao Wou-Ki’s creations not only represent a fusion of Chinese
and Western culture, but also convey the spirits of Confucianism,
Taoism, and Buddhism that are held in the highest regard by the
Chinese people. By carefully
looking, perhaps we may also
deliberate that the state of
mind he wants to portray is
“walking is Zen, sitting is Zen:
through meditation, a state of
peace can be reached from
within ourselves, the heart
becomes stable, as in nature
flowers blossom in spring
and leaves fall in autumn; no
outside phenomenon can
break such stability, both in
body and mind, everything
becomes clear, both the
big and small things”. Only
paying attention to the small
details is it possible to discover the limitlessness of this world. Just
as we imagine the infinite vastness of the universe, we are, in fact,
just some tiny protons and neutrons. It is through such small details
that Zao Wou-Ki shaped his conception of the universe.
1920
Paul Klee, They Are Biting, 1920, watercolour and oil paint on paper, 31.1 x 23.5 cm,
Collection of Tate Modern, London, UK