Ravenel Art will highlight key works from its Hong Kong and Taipei auctions of Modern and Contemporary Art in Taichung on Saturday 8 and Sunday 9 November.

Ravenel Art will show 57 works at GSR Gallery, Taichung, 24 works from 62 lots in the December 1 auction in Hong Kong and 33 works from 147 lots in the December 7 auction in Taipei. Ravenel Art's previews in Taichung have become one of the highlights of the art scene there. Situated in central Taiwan, Taichung is the third

largest city in Taiwan and is home to the largest concentration of high net worth individuals. A relaxed city, with an excellent climate, it has drawn many people seeking a higher quality of life. With numerous museums and amenities, it is fast becoming a major cultural hub in Taiwan.

Ravenel Art will feature major works in a number of categories; Modern Chinese Art, which will include works by Chinese, Taiwanese and Overseas Chinese artists; Contemporary Chinese Art will show works by leading Chinese artists; Korean and Japanese Contemporary Art; and S. E. Asian and Indian Contemporary Art.

A magnificent still life by Sanyu ‘Chrysanthemums on the Red Table with Yellow Background' is one of the highlights in Modern Chinese Art. This work, painted in the 1940s - 1950s was created at a critical period in the artist's life when life was challenging after the end of the Second World War. Composed in three basic colors, yellow, black and red, and employing a simplistic arrangement, the painting exudes a stunning combination of balance and vigor, tranquility and excitement. Two abstracts by Zao Wou-ki will also be on display. Zao, who also settled in Paris, creates works that bridge Western and Eastern traditions; a master with his brushstrokes, he is an expert in blending ‘space' and ‘light' as seen in his work '22.3.79'. Chu Teh-chun is represented with three paintings. Chu is a favorite in Taiwan where he lived before finally also settling in Paris. ‘Composition No. 190' is a classic example of his lyrical abstraction, combining the mystical beauty and dramatic appeal of natural landscapes. Zao Wou-ki studied at the Hangzhou National Academy of Fine Arts and the founder of that academy Lin Fengmian was one of his teachers. Lin, who studied oil painting in Paris, was one of the first Chinese artists to bring this technique back to China. Employing traditional Chinese concepts such as space, theme and brush strokes, his painting ‘Landscape' is a profound example of East meeting West. Works by Chen Baoyi, Wu Guanzhong and Liao Chi-chun will also be shown.

Of works by Taiwanese artists, one of the highlights is George Chann's ‘Abstract Composition'. Having settled in Los Angeles, Chann was influenced by Jackson Pollack and Mark Tobey who had in turn been influenced by Eastern Calligraphy. This work is a prime example of his ‘urban color structure' transforming Chinese characters into abstract patterns with modern significance. Michelle Wang's ‘Young Girl - Chasing Dreams' is a stunning portrait dressed in deep blue and red. Chui Ya-tsai is represented with two portraits with elongated faces and stretched bodies. ‘Chunjing' is a classic example of his pure aesthetic style. Lien Chien-hsing's ‘Traces in the Dreamland II' is a natural Taiwanese landscape imbued with his visual irony commenting on human interaction with that landscape.

A wooden sculpture by Ju Ming, ‘Taichi Series - Shadow Boxing', encapsulates the full spirit of Ju's amazing craftsmanship. The graceful energy of Taichi is fully caught in the two figures. Yuyu Yang's ‘Heaven and Earth Destiny' sculpture from his ‘Cosmos Series' displays the symmetry and completeness present when the cosmos is in harmony. Huang Po-Ren's sculpture of a Giant Panda and an indigenous black Taiwanese dog shaking hands is a comment on the present situation between Taiwan and China. The clean and bold forms create a calm atmosphere while touching the viewer's heart deeply.

Chu Teh-chu, 'Composition No. 190', 1964, oil on canvas, 114 x 147cm. Estimate: US$281, 300 - US$468, 800

In the Chinese Contemporary Art section, a number of major works will be previewed in Taichung. Yue Minjun's ‘Enchanted Spring' is a seminal work, depicting an androgynous laughing self-portrait, kicking up his high heels and filling the viewer with feelings of happiness. Zhang Xiaogang's ‘Bloodline Series - Big Family' is one of his quintessential family portraits taken from old photos. Cai Guo Qiang's ‘Descending Wolves for the Guggenheim International' is one of the best examples of Cai's ‘explosion pictures'. Using gunpowder to literally explode his images onto paper, this five-panel work evokes the power and courage of a pack of wolves descending a mountain. Zeng Fanzhi's ‘Red Clouds', a portrait of a man standing alone and isolated in wild grass against a large sky emphasizes the isolation many feel in the modern world.

Wang Guangyi's ‘Great Criticism Series - Cambell's Soup' is one of the great works of this series. Wang combines figures from Revolutionary posters with modern symbols of consumerism suggesting thought provoking questions. Huang Gang's ‘Beijing My Home' displays a giant red star on a background collaged from Tibetan sutra woodblocks. Huang's works establish a connection between the symbols of different cultures and raise questions about the value of those symbols. Yan Pei Ming, who now lives in Paris, uses the most potent symbol of China is his works, Mao's portrait. Yan paints his works at great speed with large sweeping brush strokes, creating an immediately recognizable portrait that is somehow distorted suggesting caution at hero worship. ‘Mao - Soleil Rouge' is a magnificent example of his Mao signature portraits.

In the Japanese and Korean section there are works by both modern and contemporary artists. Kim Tschang-yeul's ‘SA 070005' is a work with traditional characters on a green background covered in his signature water drops. Kwon Ki-soo's ‘Grey Forest' is a stunning example of his ‘healing art' where his cartoonish character Donggurie stands amid a pool of flowers. Korehiko Hino's ‘My Elegance' presents a wide-eyed character in a heroic Greek pose, emphasizing the vulnerability we feel when faced with a modern depersonalized technological society. Hiroyuki Matsuura's ‘Yellow' in manga style, is a bright and joyful picture portraying a bright-eyed child surrounded by a huge comforting animal in true comic book fashion.

In the S. E. Asian section, two works by much sought after artists will be shown. Augus Suwage, an Indonesian of Chinese decent is concerned with many aspects of modern life and the individual's identity in a world where we are called upon to play too many roles at the same time. ‘Lautan Tanda 2' portrays the artist swimming strongly in a wide ocean, perhaps away from his everyday concerns and struggles. Budi Kustarto's ‘Risau' captures the artist in a moment of time seemingly free-falling. Kustarto's works are immediately recognizable for their green color and x-ray like portrayal of the artist's figure.

The preview in Taichung will take place in GSR Gallery 1F, No. 83, Gong Zheng Road, Taichung, Taiwan from Saturday, November 8 - Sunday, November 9, 1:00pm-7:00pm. Ravenel Art's Hong Kong Auction, Monday, December 1, 11:30am-1:00pm, 2008; Four Seasons Hotel- Four Seasons Grand Ballroom, 8 Finance Street, Central, Hong Kong. Ravenel Art's Taipei Auction, Sunday, December 7, 2: 30pm-7: 30pm, 2008; Fubon National Conference Center B2, No, 108, Section1, Tun-Hwa South Road, Taipei, Taiwan. Full details are available at en.ravenelart.com, or by calling +886 2 2708 9868 ext 183. Catalogue details are also available on our website.

Ravenel Art was founded in 1999 and holds two annual spring and autumn auctions in Taipei and will hold spring and autumn auctions in Hong Kong. It specializes in Modern and Contemporary Chinese Art, Korean, Japanese, S. E. Asian and Indian Contemporary Art. Ravenel Art also arranges private sales of Western contemporary art. The company has offices in Taipei, Hong Kong and Beijing.