A monumental painting by Zao Wou-Ki returns to the market "29.09.64.", a lage canvas painted by Zao Wou-Ki in 1964, will be one of the stars of the 20th and 21st century art auction that Christie's will organise in Hong Kong on 26 May 2022. By G. Fernández - theartwolf.com - Image: ZAO WOU-KI (ZHAO WUJI, 1920 - 2013) "29.09.64", oil on canvas. 230 x 345 cm (90 1/2 x 135 7/8 in.). Painted in 1964. Estimate: between HK$220 million and HK$280 million / US$29 to US$36 million. Image via christies.com Fuelled by the recent surge in appreciation (both critical and commercial) of modern Chinese art, Zao Wou-Ki (1920-2013) has become one of the big names in the art market, reaching its (so far) zenith four years ago, when "Juin-Octobre 1985" was auctioned for HK$510 million (US$65 million). Christie's has described "29.09.64." as "the largest and most important canvas of the artist's 'Hurricane Period' still in private hands", noting that "'29.09.64. 'is a seminal work which marries the artist’s profound knowledge of Chinese classical literati painting, represented by the intricate networks of truncated black and white brushstrokes at the centre of the composition, with abstract explorations through a predominantly blue colouration that resembles a tumultuous seascape where water and sky unify as one. The painting was created after Zao moved to a more spacious studio on Rue Jonquoy in the Montparnasse district of Paris, allowing him to first experiment with larger canvases." "29.09.64." returns to the market after starring in a successful sale five years ago, when it was auctioned at Christie's New York for HK$152.9 million (US$19.7 million), three to four times its pre-sale estimate. The sale -then a record price for the artist- was a boost to the appreciation of Zao's work. In November 2017, Christie's again achieved undisputed success with the auction of "29.01.64", another work from this same period in Zao's career -albeit smaller- selling for HK$202.6 million (US$25.8 million), double its pre-sale estimate. Eric Chang, Chairman of Christie's Asia Pacific 20th and 21st Century Art Department, commented that "in spite of current economic volatility, masterpieces by iconic Eastern and Western artists have established remarkable prices in recent years and continue to do so, reflecting the sustained demand for best-in-class artworks in the market."

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