de Sarthe Gallery is proud to present 14 masterpieces by Zao Wou-ki, Chu Teh-Chun and T’ang Haywen at Art Basel Hong Kong 2015.The Post-War masters who worked and lived in Paris and redefined Chinese painting by reconciling Chinese traditions with European visual languages. Their works mark a new era of Chinese paintings that excel both in the aesthetics and the market in the past two decades.

ZAO WOU-KI

"If the influence of Paris in my artistic formation is undeniable, I must also say that I have gradually rediscovered China, along with my growing confidence. China is inherent in all my recent canvases. Paradoxically it is to Paris that I owe this return to my profoundest origins." -ZAO Wou-Ki, early 1950s

The period 1960’s marks the height of Zao’s artistic career, during which his creative language matured and manifested itself into some his finest works, many of which now included in permanent collections of major museums.

CHU TEH-CHUN

Visually inspired by nature and the invisible power, Chu Teh-Chun's abstract paintings morph the tangible into the formless. Heavily influenced by Daosist teachings, they can also be seen as the materialization of traditional Chinese philosophies.

At the booth, five paintings of distinctive styles will be featured, including a major 2 x 2 meters painting from 1969 and a 89 x 117cm painting from 1964, both offering a linear panorama - the signature of Chu’s works during this period which alludes to his daily calligraphic practice. Multidirectional lines in a diversified brushstrokes and bright colours create a complex visual composition. A luminous jewel-like garland stands out from a subtle background, evoking the sight of sunrise. The works demonstrate how Chu Teh-Chun, in the 1960s, had fully developed his unique style.

T’ANG HAYWEN

Spontaneous and candid in character, T’ang seeks to express his personality through his ink practice, which he had fully mastered by the 1970’s. Bold and flexible brushstrokes manifest into powerful composition that is both spiritual in nature and vivacious in visual element.

de Sarthe Gallery is proud to present six T’ang’s ink paintings at their Art Basel booth. T’ang’s works is a culmination of bold creative attempts and precise brushworks. Skillyfully balancing “yin” and “yang” as well as “black” and “white”, T’ang maneuvers his cursive scripts into unique forms. “Time” and “control” are notions at the core of T’ang’s practice. The works all utilize the 70 x 100 cm diptych format of two 70 x 50 paper sheets, a feature that unifies T’ang’s works, which is otherwise diversified in their character. Also present in all the works is a balance of negative and filled spaces. Emptiness holds a significant role in T’ang’s practice, providing the necessary momentum

Click here for virtual tour