Oil on canvas

166 x 178 cm. 65 3/8 × 70 1/8 in.

Signed in Chinese and dated on middle right
PROVENANCE
Shi Xiang Space, Beijing
Private Collection, Asia

Line like Shooting Stars, Leaping Through the Blue Sky
Zhao Dajun's Symphony of Life

Artist and educator Zhao Dajun taught at the Lu Xun Academy of Fine Arts, one of China's top eight art academies, for over half a century, and was an important spiritual leader of the academy. Many of his art theories were included in textbooks such as Dual Bases and Form and Anatomy, and he was admired by Wang Yan, Wang Xingwei, and Qin Qi. His artistic style, like the era he lived in, constantly evolved and broke through: from the early Soviet-style representational realism to the discovery of abstract soul in the 1980s, establishing series such as Flower, Holy Mountain, and Cypress. Zhao Dajun maintained his pioneering and persistent creative passion, and his art was always evolving, even in the last few years before his passing, he continued to hold solo exhibitions, which is admirable. In his later works, like the father of modern art Cézanne, he used pure abstract brushstrokes to create a wonderful artistic symphony, earning him the title of "Cézanne of Lu Xun's Academy of Fine Arts." Since 2018, Zhao Dajun has embarked on a series of works with blue as the main theme, which he referred to as "Red Lines on Blue" in his notes. These works are vibrant, representative, and the piece Work 3801 presented in this autumn auction is a powerful classic.

Pure, Powerful Colour Dynamics

In this work, the artist directly organizes images in the composition using pure, highly saturated primary colours. With bold and powerful strokes of bright red, sky blue, emerald-green, lemon yellow, and other colours construct the order of the composition, with clear logic. The base is laid with thick lines of blue and green, with fine lines of red, black, and yellow interweaving and overlapping, sometimes running parallel and diagonally forward, sometimes colliding and clashing with each other, weaving a network of colours, like a sudden meteor shower sweeping across the blue curtain of the sky, brilliant and dazzling. It's also like the free and spontaneous rhythm of Chinese calligraphy, displaying "short, clear, and persuasive" brushstroke forms praised by curator Su Wei. In the details, the colours blend organically, creating self-evident unity. For example, the blue hues at the edge of the composition are sometimes enhanced with red, creating a rich purple light and shadow, and at times mixed with white, making it almost blend with the canvas. The changing blue hue, paired with the streaks of colour flying over it, both have clear boundaries and blend seamlessly, enriching the sense of layers in the composition. If viewers carefully follow the path of the colours, they will find endless resonance.

Looking back at the creation of this painting, the elderly Zhao embodies a vibrant vitality and an unceasing thirst for knowledge. Jiang Mei, the Vice President of the Shanghai Oil Painting and Sculpture Institute, once described Zhao Dajun's abstract stage as a "transformative phase in his declining years." This not only praises the artist for having the same fighting spirit as a young person in his later years but also affirms his consistent and tireless artistic innovation. His artistic journey is like a microcosm of the modernization of Chinese art: from seeking outward to exploring the inner self, ultimately culminating in a grand return to one's own cultural heritage and spiritual sanctuary.

Price estimate:
HKD 180,000 – 350,000
USD 23,100 – 44,900