Oil on canvas

60 x 80 cm.23 5/8 x 31 1/2 in.

Sigend in Chinese and English，dated on lower right

Zeng Fanzhi b.1964

In 2002 Zeng Fanzhi’s style started to transform and made a thorough break from his past signature “Xiehe Hospital” series and “Mask” series. In particular，the most significant feature is the gradual disappearance of his personal artistic symbol. “I •We” series have initiated his exploration towards a pure aesthetic language. Nonetheless the“Chaotic Strokes” series created later further highlights the visual tension exerted by the artist that surpasses image，symbol and topics with confrontation and opposing structural relation，containing broader possibility regardless of the language or the scope of society.

Zeng Fanzhi created massive “chaotic strokes” works based on Andy Warhol in 2005. He has already implanted the image of Andy Warhol early in the “mask” series. His massive quantity of portraits on Warhol was filled with artist’s thoughts for the contemporary society. In this “Andy Warhol，” in front of the blue-grey Utopian sky was Andy Warhol covered by interwoven patterns from random lines，who wears sunglasses and overlook far away. In spite of his victory-like smile，this smile is gradually covered and destroyed on the canvas.He deconstructs the legend of commerce culture represented by Andy Warhol. In 2004 Zeng and all contemporary Chinese artists were faced with a rigorous issue，a dilemma between holding onto the true artistic self and searching for success from the business world. This painting explicitly expressed Zeng’s stance in this issue.

Zeng made his best efforts in searching for topics and techniques expressing the confusion oppressed in this society. In the Chaotic Grass series，Zeng blends the techniques of traditional Chinese painting with exceptional expressionist skills. The combination of expressionism and traditional Chinese ink painting has collectively created the“Chaotic strokes.” In this work，the rendering of colors，lines and composition is filled with a sense of anxiety and insecurity，which seems to incubate a type of life existence and a poetic sense，filled of solitude. Particularly the blue sky and unstable lines are centralized to strengthen the forms of movement and changes.

Price estimate:
HKD：1,200,000 - 1,500,000
USD：154,800 - 193,500

Auction Result:
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