Zao Wou Ki - Temptation of the West, 1962 - Original lithograph signed in pencil

Zao Wou-Ki : is a painter born in Pékin and naturalized French in 1953. He is one of the most renowned figure of the lyric abstraction representant of Lyrical Abstraction. Between 1935-1941 he studies in Hangzhou Fine-arts School, at the end of these studies he relized his first exhibition in Chang-King. He settled in Paris in 1948 and frequented Othon Friesz's workshop at The Grande-Chaumière academy, and The Fine-Art School. He met Sam Francis, Riopelle, Soulages, Hartung, Giacometti, Vieira da Silva. In 1950 the poet Henri Michaux wrote a text about Zao Wou-Ki's first lithographs. Paul Klee's work seen in Bern in 1951 radically steers Zao Wou-Ki toward abstraction. In 1962 the painter created ten litographs for André Malraux "La tentation de l'Occident" (The Wester temptation). In 1980, he is appointed wall painting teacher at The "École Nationale Supérieure des arts Décoratifs" (National Superior School of decorative arts). The artist won several prices : he is named laureate of the Praemium Imperiale Award of Painting of Japan in 1994, the following year he received The "Prix de Science pour l’Art" (created by LVMH). And the Taylor Foundation Price in 2001. In 1998, the painter creates a wall panel in ceramic, realized in Sintra by Viuva Lameco Ceràmique for The "Atlantic" metro station in Lisboa. Through his work, he achieved the synthesis between the technical means of his Far East heritage and the plastic and poetic ambition of the western Lyrical Abstraction.