The abstract imagery and expressive colours of the late Chinese-French artist Zao Wou-Ki take centre stage in Hong Kong as the M+ museum presents Asia’s first and largest retrospective of his print works – including lithographs and intaglios – opening on Saturday.
The show, titled “Zao Wou-Ki: Master Printmaker”, will showcase nearly 180 exhibits that the museum has amassed from two separate donations by the late artist’s wife, Françoise Marquet-Zao, and daughter, Sin-May Roy Zao.
Zao is regarded as one of the most influential abstract artists of the mid to late 20th century. One of his works, Juin-Octobre 1985, was auctioned at HK$510.4 million (US$65 million) in 2018 by Sotheby’s in Hong Kong – a record in the city for an Asian artist.
The artist, whose works, particularly his oil paintings, remain staples of the auction market, once said: “Everyone is bound by a tradition; I am bound by two.”
Zao, together with Wu Guanzhong and Chu Teh-chun, were dubbed the “Three Musketeers” of Chinese modern art for their achievement in bridging Eastern and Western aesthetics.
His collection at M+, alongside Wu’s extensive portfolio donated to the Hong Kong Museum of Art since 2018, makes the city unique in housing the largest number of works by two of the three masters.
“This kind of material really shows you a very personal, very intimate aspect of this modern master, which is also one of the goals of the exhibition, to really reveal a lesser-known aspect of this already very well-known master,” Dr Wu Mo, Sigg curator of the museum, said.