The exhibition regroups 76 works dating from to oils on canvas, watercolours, and works in China ink on paper held in public and private collections. In the period that followed his move to Paris in , Zao Wou- Ki explored the theme of daylight and nocturnal light in a series of poetic works that simply featured representations of lunar and solar stars.
The shift towards abstraction in the mid s, through the use of signs and symbols borrowed from Paul Klee, enriched his representation of light and darkness, expressed through an interplay of coloured masses, which clash or merge. The practice of using China ink, undertaken on a suggestion from Henri Michaux as of , enabled him to develop this traditional Chinese art. He began to explore the notion of spatial voids, through the use of white or the unworked area of the paper, and fullness, through the use of black ink.
His exploration of space extended into his paintings and enabled him to discover new forms of spatial representation. The alternation between light and the dark side drew its inspiration from a long history of Chinese painting that sought to achieve a balance between opposites. As of , Zao Wou-Ki spent several summers in the estate in the Luberon owned by the couturier Emanuel Ungaro, who was also very attached to his home city, Aix-en-Provence.
Zao Wou-Ki worked in the open air, which he had not done before, and painted a series of watercolours which will be exhibited for the first time at Caumont - Art Centre. They evoke the luminosity and the bright and muted colours of the Luberon landscapes.
These works reflect his enduring love of painting in the latter part of his life. He is at the same time an exhibition curator and art critic, and regularly contributes to the review Art Press. He has published many articles and essays, and directed and co-directed many works in both Europe and the United States. Sorry, your browser doesn't support embedded videos. The team. Exhibition From 19 May to 10 October Every day from 10am to 7pm.
