HONG KONG.- China Guardian (Hong Kong) 2013 Autumn Auction is being held at Island Shangri-La on 5 and 6 October. In the “20th Century and Contemporary Chinese Art” which ended at afternoon today, the section reached a total of 110 million HKD with an auction clearance rate of 77%.

The highest amount of deal in the section was Zao Wou-Ki’s 18.10.98, which was sold for 24.15 million HKD. Zao blended bright yellow hues with thin and transparent layers to create dazzling visual effects. He created natural transitions between yellow and dark green using compatible painting materials as well as complementary textures to display exuberant vitality and elegance.

The second high was Ombres Bleues by Chu Teh-Chun, which sold for 9.43 million HKD. On the painting, the physical and the emotional combine to create a natural conversation between the tangible and the intangible, ephemeral and eternal, and Oriental lyricism and Western rationality.

Untitled 08.12.19 by Zeng Fanzhi was sold for 8.625 million HKD as the third highest deal in the section. It was exhibited in New York at the Acquavella Gallery as one of the featured display. A well-dressed man walks alone in a hazy forest. The foreground of the painting is scarred with a network of unnatural branches depicted in tense strokes. A light projects onto the man while the brightness of the man’s clothing in turn reflects onto the branches in the foreground, bringing brightness into an otherwise gloomy picture. Much like other artists who identified with the literati movement, Zeng said his creations were focused on self-exploration; however, his works have gradually offered viewers clear insight into human personality and destiny. In the past, Zeng was committed to exploring the experiences and psychological changes of his generation. His lesson to us all is that even in an era of rapid social and economic upheaval, we still need to calmly embrace change.