HONG KONG.- Christie’s Asian 20th Century and Contemporary Art department presents the inaugural Asia+ auction, which will take place 5 April in Hong Kong. Focusing on originality, versatility, and collectability, Asia+ will offer a highly curated selection of over 50 works of art that will appeal to the tastes of both seasoned connoisseurs and younger collectors alike.

Works such as Zao Wou-ki’s untitled ceramic study for the mural in the Garo de Oriente metro station in Viuva Lamego, Lisbon (estimate: HK$650,000-850,000 / US$83,300-109,000), and Zeng Fan-zhi’s work on paper, Sky (estimate: HK$500,000-700,000 / US$64,100-89,700), were chosen for their original and exploratory nature, as well as their ability to represent the versatility of the artists. In its diverse grouping of works from the 20th century, Chinese avant-garde and contemporary movements, Asia+ provides collectors with a comprehensive range of art historical discourses, creating a unique panoramic view of Asian art.

The top lot of the auction is Bathroom by Zeng Fan-zhi. The artistic merit of Bathroom is a result of its uniqueness and its significance to the era in which it was created. With its distorted figurative depictions of naked flesh: ‘corporeality’ directly infuses the senses. This work also seeks to instill awareness in the audience of the nature of a plagued human race and of humanity surviving environmental oppression (estimate: HK$6,500,000-9,500,000 / US$833,300-1,217,900).

Also among the top lots is Untitled by Chu Teh-Chun. Born in Hangzhou, China, Chu left for Paris in 1955 to further explore the discourse of abstract art. After years of immersing himself in the Parisian art scene, his painting style gradually shifted from figurative to abstraction, and his visual vocabulary expanded into a highly individualized language. His virtuosic painterly skills enabled him to express the potential of the oil medium, the alacrity of calligraphy, and the immateriality of Chinese ink painting. Completed in 1972, Untitled is a consummate abstract work
that embodies the soul of Chinese culture (estimate: HK$500,000-700,000 / US$64,100-89,700).

Zeng Fan-zhi will also be represented by, Sky, a rare instance of the artist’s work with color pencil on paper. Sky depticts two figures wearing masks atop a hill against a backdrop of grand landscape composed with soft hues of blues and pinks, which achieves an effect that is reminiscent of the paintings of Mark Rothko. Wearing their public faces, the subjects seem to have been reconciled and are now calmly posing for the world to see (estimate: HK$500,000-700,000 / US$64,100-89,700).

Ma Desheng’s Goddess (4) is among the sale’s selection of works by Chinese contemporary artists. In 1979, Ma Desheng formed the Stars Group with more than 20 artists. The group’s first exhibition was held at the outdoor park adjacent to the Beijing Art Museum, and attracted interest from modernists and abstractionists in the West. After participating in the second exhibition of the Stars Group, Ma Desheng moved to Paris to fulfill his artistic expression in a more liberal environment. During this period of transition, he developed his characteristic figurative style by executing works of Chinese ink on the ground. Goddess (4) has a figurative appearance, yet the abstract style is more closely related to Ma’s later works in the Rocks Series (estimate: HK$140,000-180,000 / US$17,900-23,100).