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

5.11.621960
5.11.62
大 幅 畫 布 , 使 我 必 須 與 空 間 搏 鬥 , 不 但 要 填
滿 它 , 還 要 給 它 生 命 , 把 自 己 完 全 投 注 在 其 中 。 我 想 表 現 動 感 , 或 迂
迴 纏 綿 , 或 風 馳 電 掣 。 我 想 藉 著 對 比 和 同 一 色 彩 的 多 重 振 顫 , 使 畫 布
躍 動 起 來 , 我 要 找 到 一 個 放 光 的 中 心 點 。
5.11.62
Completed in 1962, Zao's painting titled "5.11.62" was once held
by the Laing Galleries in Toronto, the leading art gallery of Canada
that once made significant contributions to post-war abstract art.
The gallery closed down following the death of its director. Art
dealer G. Blair Laing was the person-in charge then. Well-known
throughout the art sphere in twentieth-century Canada, Blair
also introduced the works of British sculptor Henry Moore to the
country at one time. In 1989, he donated a priced collection to
the National Gallery of Canada, which is a deed worthy of praise
in the art sphere. From the mid twentieth century, Laing began
flying to France frequently to select works for his art collectors.
He visited Canadian painters who came all the way to study art in
Paris, and acted as agent for the Canadian members of Ecole de
Paris Alfred Pellan (1906-1988), PaulÉmile Borduas (1905-1960) and
Jean- Paul Riopelle (1923-2002). As abstract painter Riopelle turns
out to be a close friend of Zao Wou-ki's for more than fifty years,
his death a few years ago was quite an emotional experience for
Zao, who especially created a triplicate, yellow-green-toned oil
painting in memory of his friend. Furthermore, the Laing Galleries
often displayed works of Canadian painter William Ronald (1926-
1998) and Borduas, and a partnership with Kootz Gallery of New
York was established for joint exhibitions from the 1950s. On the
recommendation of Pierre Soulages, Zao began to hold exhibitions
at Kootz in 1957, becoming very closely connected to the gallery.
Another of Zao's paintings auctioned at the exhibition was a 1963
work titled "19.7.63", the holding of which can be traced back to
Kootz Gallery in New York. All artists and dealers are important
names in abstract art of the post-war era. Their fortunate meeting
in the same events has written an important page in the history of
post-war abstract art in the twentieth century.
Moving to Paris from Shanghai in 1948, Zao's works quickly gained
recognition in the Paris art circles. Transformation from concrete
art to abstract paintings accelerated his fame in Europe . Eve n
America, which did not readily accept the European abstract style,
gradually began to pay attention to Zao's art from the 1950s.
Compared to the US , Canada accepted art from Paris more
readily since it has a French-speaking Province. In 1969, Zao held
his second retrospective show in Muséed 'Art Contemporain,
Montreal and Musée du Québec. His popularity in America
was about average then. It was through the introduction of the
aforementioned Canadian artists that Laing came to know about
the Chinese painter and directly bought his work titled "5.11.62".
Zao had connections with Galerie de France in Paris and Kootz
Gallery in New York, and Laing must have come to select works
for his gallery. Such purchases are often heard of from among
international art dealers. The painting was later resold to a private
collector in Canada. It remained in Canada for more than four
decades and did not reappear in front of the public until this year.
21.3.196420060613157
ZAO Wou-ki, 21.3.1964, Ravenel Autumn Auction 2006, lot 061, NT$ 31,570,000 sold,
1964, oil on canvas, 63.5 x 80 cm
Full of creativity, Zao Wou-ki may be said to have made rapid
advances in his career in the 1960s, when he was invited to
participate in one international exhibition after another. His artistic
creation showed the arousal of his innermost feelings as a result of
his finding love once again. He was at his prime in terms of age. In
his own words, he could express himself freely and recognize the
vitality possessed by the colors themselves. One can forget about
the rules, as responding to the needs of one's inner world was all