Zhào Wújí (趙無極, 赵无极)
Born: February 13, 1920; Beijing, China
Died: April 9, 2013; Nyon, Switzerland
Nationality: French, Chinese
Art Movement: Art Informel
Painting School: École de Paris
Genre: abstract
Field: painting, drawing
Soundtrack:
J. S. Bach
Die Kunst der Fuge, BWV 1080
No. 1, Fugue-miroir à quatre voix (Rectus)
No. 2, Fugue-miroir à trois voix (Rectus)
No. 3, Canon à deux voix, à la Douzième
No. 4, Canon à deux voix, à l'octave
No. 5, Canon à deux voix, par augmentation et mouvement contraire
No. 17, Double fugue
· David Lively, piano
Zao Wou-Ki is a Franco-Chinese artist known for his non-figurative paintings that blend Western and Eastern artistic styles. “People are defined by a tradition. For me, two traditions define me,” he says. Similar to the style of the Abstract Expressionists, lyrical abstract artist Zao admired the work of Jackson Pollock and Franz Kline. Born on February 1, 1920 in Beijing, China, he studied at the Hangzhou Fine Arts School for six years and was influenced by the work of Pablo Picasso, Paul Cézanne, Henri Matisse and more particularly Paul Klee. He moved to Paris in 1947, became a neighbor of Alberto Giacometti and friend with Sam Francis, Joan Mitchell, Jean-Paul Riopelle and Pierre Soulages. Zao became a French citizen in 1964. The painter and engraver died on April 9, 2013 in Nyon, Switzerland at the age of 93. His works are in the collections of the Tate Modern in London and the Guggenheim Museum and MoMA in New York.