Zao Wou Ki

Known for his proficiency with both Eastern and Western artistic traditions, and his ability to employ both simultaneously within his work, Zao Wou-Ki has become an important figure in mid-century art historical canon. Born Zhao Wou-Ki in 1920 in Beijing, Wou-Ki attending the National School of Arts, Hangchow, for six years before becoming a drawing instructor there. In 1947, the artist moved to Paris where he would become friends with the artists Alberto Giacometti and Joan Miró. His work, done in an abstract, gestural style quickly drew acclaim, and ultimately worked to help reestablish abstraction during a time when critics were beginning to question whether the style could appropriately express the harsh realities and emotions of the post-war world.