From the official data provided by what we see today, most people are probably already very familiar with him. The international contemporary art scene’s prominent figure – Zeng Fanzhi, is indeed no stranger to us. In his artistic career spanning three decades, he is undoubtedly a visionary and a success.
As he himself said: “I was lucky to embark on a route of art creation through painting for so many years. This route gave me a full world of my own..”
Zeng Fanzhi’s Creative Timeline
1987 – 1991: Early Works
These pieces set the tone & theme for Zeng Fanzhi’s future creations. They reflected that special period in Chinese history and the anxiety felt by the mass in those circumstances. It basically answered a lot of questions regarding the society and its then progress.
1991- 1992: Hospital
The ‘Hospital Series’ was a major work completed between 1991 – 1992, It is an iconic diptych and established Zeng Fanzhi’s creative maturity.
Early 1992: Meat
The artworks during this period consist of mainly white & red colors, showcasing a dramatic and haunting painting approach in presenting the human form’s ‘meat’. The visual linkage is eerily similar to actual pork and beef sold at the butcher’s….
1993 – 2002: Mask
Zeng Fanzhi moved to Beijing in 1993 and subsequently started his now symbolic ‘Mask’ series of works. The ‘mask’ reflected a suppressed sense of pressure in a physical sense but at the same time, it is also an emotional mental state. The Red Scarf, Flowers, Jet Plane and various others symbols hinted at how mass-consumerism and economic nurturing affected the physique that is embedded within this context.
2004 onwards: Scenery
From 2004, Zeng Fanzhi created the new series of ‘Scenery’ works, consisting of linear expressiveness to represent the thought process between nature and our conscience.
As an artist at the top of the art market pyramid, Zeng Fanzhi’s works have always been auction houses “Triumph Card”. The first billion-value collection auctioned was the “Last Supper”. And today, Zeng Fanzhi, in his own time and pace, is opening up a new course.
Let us now take a look at this ‘warrior’s’ footprints in the art market during the past decade, which works left the deepest impressions?
1. Last Supper – Sold for HKD 180 million at Sotheby’s Hong Kong Autumn Sale 2013
2. Hospital– Sold for HKD 113 million at Christie’s Hong Kong Autumn Sale 2013
3. Mask no 6– Sold for HKD 75 million at Christie’s Hong Kong Spring Sale 2008
4. Wedding– Sold for RMB 40 million at Poly Auction Hong Kong Spring Sale 2011
5. Paradise– Sold for HKD 42 million at Christie’s Hong Kong Autumn Sale 2015
6. Fly– Sold for HKS 39.86 million at Christie’s Hong Kong spring Sale 2012
7. Self-portrait– Sold for HKd 37.62 million in Christie’s Hong Kong Spring auction in 2011
8. Leopard– Sold for HKD 36 million at Christie’s Hong Kong spring sale in 2011
9. Mask no. 4– Sold for HKD 32.6 million at Sotheby’s Hong Kong autumn sale in 2014
10. Mask– Sold for HKD 30.9 million at Christie’s Hong Kong auto,mn sale in 2011
11. Meat: Blood Donation– Sold for HKD 30.3 million in Christie’s Hong Kong autumn sale in 2016
12. Mask no. 5– Sold for HKD 30.9 million in Sotheby’s Hong Kong autumn sale in 2011
13. Jiang Hu – Sold for HKD 30.1 million at Christie’s Hong Kong spring auction in 2013
14. Mask- Sold for RMB 22.7 million in Poly Auction Beijing autumn auction in 2013
15. Mask– Sold for HKD 28.1 million at Sotheby’s Hong Kong autumn sale in 2013
16. Mask Series– Sold for HKD 25.3 million at Sotheby’s Hong Kong spring sale in 2012
17. Mask Series– Sold for HKD 25.8 million at Christie’s autumn sale in 2014
18. Untitled- Sold for RMB 19.4 million in Christie’s Shanghai autumn sale in 2014
19. Mask Series– Sold for HKD 22.5 million in Christie’s Hong Kong autumn sale in 2012
20. Mask no. 5– Sold for HKD 22.5 million at Sotheby’s spring sale in 2014
