Zao Wou-Ki

Chinese/French, 1920-2013

Zao Wou-Ki was a Chinese-French painter known for his dynamic integration of Eastern aesthetics with Western abstraction. A central figure in the postwar Lyrical Abstraction movement, Zao developed a distinct visual language that bridged cultural traditions and helped reinvigorate non-figurative painting in the mid-20th century.

Born in Peking (now Beijing), China, Zao showed an early talent for art, enrolling at the School of Fine Arts in Hangzhou in 1935. When the school relocated to Chongqing during the Japanese invasion, Zao continued his studies and later accepted a teaching position there in 1941.

In 1948, he moved to Paris to pursue his artistic career. His first solo exhibition in Europe followed in 1949, and he soon formed lasting friendships with artists such as Joan Miró, Alberto Giacometti, and Pierre Soulages. Working among the École de Paris circle, Zao played a key role in restoring abstraction’s relevance in the aftermath of World War II. His paintings evolved into bold, gestural compositions marked by fluid brushwork and radiant color.

By the mid-1950s, Zao began to reengage with Chinese artistic traditions, drawing from ink painting and calligraphy. Influenced by Abstract Expressionists like Franz Kline and Barnett Newman during frequent visits to New York, he refined a style that balanced spontaneity with atmospheric depth. After the death of his wife, Chan May Kan, in 1972, Zao returned to China and began producing large-scale pieces that reflected his early influences.