Acrylic on paper

80×105 cm. 31 1/2×41 3/8 in.

Signed in Chinese on bottom right

LITERATURE
May 2013, Art World, Shanghai Literature and Art Publishing, Shanghai, p. 63
2016, Yu Youhan (I), Shanghai People's Fine Arts Publishing House, Shanghai, p.51
PROVENANCE
China Today Gallery, Brussels
Acquired directly by present private European collector from the above

This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity issued by China Today Gallery, Brussels signed by the artist

Harmony within Abstraction: A New Interpretation of Icons
Yu Youhan's Subtle Craftsmanship and Pioneering Spirit

Born in Shanghai in 1943, Yu Youhan is a leading figure in early Chinese abstract art and political Pop Art. After graduating from the Central Academy of Arts and Crafts in Beijing (now the Academy of Arts & Design at Tsinghua University) in 1973, he returned to Shanghai. He taught at the Shanghai Art and Design Academy until his retirement. During the Cultural Revolution, he and his students engaged in mutual learning and were dedicated to exploring the integration of Western avant-garde artistic expression with Eastern aesthetic imagery. Yu resolved to create works that embody a "Chinese appearance" with an elegant style.

In 1993, he became the first Chinese artist invited to the Venice Biennale, and in 1999, his work appeared on the cover of TIME magazine, marking him as one of the first Chinese contemporary artists to gain international recognition after the Reform and Opening-up period.

Yu is known for deconstructing and reconstructing the historical changes in multicultural contexts using imagery and symbols, and his work spans various forms, including painting, collage, and photography. He pioneered Chinese political Pop Art and developed widely recognized series such as the Circle and Mao paintings. His works are held in numerous prestigious art institutions, including the Long Museum in Shanghai, the G Museum in Nanjing, the M+ Museum in Hong Kong, the Yuz Foundation in Jakarta, the Denver Art Museum, and the Queensland Art Gallery & Gallery of Modern Art.

Encompassing the Universe within the Brush

"The Circle Series paintings employ primitive methods, characterized by logic, structure, and surprise. They interpret a visual metaphor in various ways, symbolizing the changing light and shadows of the real world."
—Matthew Collings

In 1984, Yu Youhan drew inspiration from Laozi's "natural inaction" philosophy and shifted from figurative painting to abstract practice, leading to the birth of the Circle series. Over the following forty years, Yu used dots and lines to flexibly and creatively construct paintings centered on the circle. Initially, he condensed Jiangnan's gray tiles and landscapes into black-and-white dots and later began exploring coloured circles, developing a unique and dynamic visual language. Yu frequently invoked Laozi's philosophical concept of "The Dao gives birth to One, One gives birth to Two, Two gives birth to Three, and Three gives birth to all things," seeking harmony between nature and humanity within dualistic imagery.

The first work in the Circle series was presented in 1985 at a Modern Painting: Six Men Group Exhibition with his students, where his bold abstract expression broke through the restrictions on modernism during the Cultural Revolution, cementing his indelible status in the Chinese art world. The presented works 1986-27 (Lot 52) and 1986-17 (Lot 53) come from this series and have been cherished by a private European collector for over a decade. The works' rich layers, embodying simplicity and profundity, leave a lasting impression.

The Universe and Inner Self within Squares and Circles

1986-27 is dominated by a shimmering orange-red colour palette, with geometric elements like circles and columns masterfully arranged against a warm background. A central blue circle contrasts with its surroundings, creating a dialogue between lines and space through the placement of geometric shapes. The vertical blue-green lines on either side of the circle resemble segments of Morse code or the symbols of the I Ching, arranged in tight order horizontally, forming a strong contrast with the red background while harmoniously echoing the black dots and lines at the edges of the large circle.

Interestingly, none of the lines in the work are entirely closed, allowing for flexibility and openness, welcoming external possibilities and changes. This reflects the artist's observations and insights into the world and Laozi's philosophy of "placing the square within the circle." The strong visual impact of the red, blue, orange, and black colours—juxtaposing the vitality of warm hues with the restraint of cool tones—explores the work's multidimensional layers and emotional depth, returning to simplicity and authenticity.

In contrast, 1986-17 features a restrained deep blue base with cobalt blue blocks showcasing Yu's signature circle. At the top of this irregular circle, two rows of dark red blocks—one vertical and one horizontal—float, pairing mysteriously with the horizontal block crossing the circle's center, creating a scene reminiscent of faintly visible lights in the deep night sky. This guides viewers through a journey between presence and absence, responding to the perpetual philosophy of the universe. The canvas is deep and serene, inviting contemplation of the vastness and freedom contained within, where the moment becomes eternal.

Echoes of the Past and Present Greats

"I borrow Pop Art's painting techniques and elements of traditional Chinese art to present Mao Zedong in a lighthearted style, with a touch of humour and critique, yet without losing respect for him. In my works, Mao is no longer a sacred, untouchable saint but an ordinary person."
—Yu Youhan

In the late 1980s, as China embraced commercialization and consumerism, contemporary art entered a period of freewheeling development. Andy Warhol's visit to China in 1982 and Robert Rauschenberg's touring exhibition at the National Art Museum of China in 1985 propelled the progress of Chinese Pop Art. These events inspired Yu Youhan, who began his political Pop Art practice focused on history and Mao Zedong in the early 1990s. The two same-titled portraits A Pocket Western Art History about Mao-‘Foreign Mao'(Lots 54 and 55) presented here were created around the turn of the millennium. Yu extracted the creative styles and iconic elements of Western art masters to reinterpret Mao, aiming to construct an icon of collective worship within the context of art history.

With only 33 known works in this portrait form, these pieces are a notable and rare aspect of his oeuvre. Compared to his other Mao-themed works from the 1980s, this series de-emphasizes the style of political propaganda posters and instead showcases a dialogue between Mao and Western art masters, reflecting the historical progression and evolution of Western art movements. It humourously addresses the nuanced relationship between China's emerging free-market economy and the "standardized" communism, leaving room for thoughtful interpretation and imagination.

When Swiss collector Uli Sigg was asked which artwork he would save first in a fire, he unhesitatingly chose a portrait of Mao Zedong by Yu Youhan. Australian art critic Paul Gladston noted that Yu's work was "highly challenging and impossible to ignore" in the context of 1980s China, highlighting the significance of this series. The two pieces express the artist's vision of history and reality, making them classic examples of his work.

A Supreme New Definition

A Pocket Western Art History about Mao-‘Foreign Mao' (Lot 54), created in 1999, reinterprets Mao Zedong using Piet Mondrian's minimalist colour-blocking style. Interestingly, Mondrian advocated creating a harmonious and unified aesthetic through primary colours, aiming to replace the supremacy of any individual or colour with an aesthetic that everyone could understand. Here, Yu Youhan embeds the image of the supreme leader into Mondrian's classic primary colours and black-and-white blocks, allowing the coexistence of popular aesthetics and the "individual," sparking a collision of Eastern and Western aesthetic philosophies.

Yu created three Mao paintings in this series, with this piece being the most elegant in colour and composition. Mao's iconic facial features are centered, and the overall composition resembles a carefully arranged Rubik's cube matrix, with red, yellow, and blue colours like lively musical notes. The balance between the coldness and warmth of black and these colours symbolizes the clash of cultures in the new era and the dialogue with traditional forms. The simplicity of the image brings a vivid vitality to a severe political subject, making it unforgettable.

A New Era's Shutter, Reflecting on History

The other work of the same title (Lot 55), created in 2000, adopts the distorted, intense expressionism of British artist Francis Bacon, focusing on circles and bold arcs to completely break away from standardized propaganda imagery, forging a highly personal artistic language.

The piece uses the perspective of a passport photo to depict a half-length portrait of Mao Zedong, differing from the rational and orderly Mondrian-inspired piece by showcasing expressionism's passion. The deep background highlights the bright yellow of the central figure, with short, dynamic lines and bright white arcs emphasizing facial contours and features. Mao's deep, calm gaze is hidden beneath dark eyelids, looking into the distance. Behind him, two diagonal lines form a faint triangle, resembling towering mountains or the upturned eaves of Chinese architecture, echoing Mao's enduring, towering image in the currents of history. This evokes a fresh harmony while prompting reflection on the social imprints of the Cultural Revolution.

Price estimate:
HKD 180,000 – 280,000
USD 23,100 – 35,900

Auction Result:
HKD: 504,000