Zao Wou-Ki The Pond

Etching, 1972

Edition: 4/26

Publisher: Éditions Galanis (Paris)

Printer: Bellini (Paris)

Catalogue Raisonné: Moestrup 230

38.00 × 28.00 cm (sheet size)
25.00 × 22.00 cm (image size)

Signed by the artist in pencil
Comes with a Certificate of Authenticity
In excellent condition

About "The Pond"

Created in 1972, this etching by Zao Wou-Ki delicately expresses the tranquility and inner space he pursued. The title, "The Pond," depicts not merely a natural landscape, but a spiritual space reflecting light, air, and even the flow of time.

The print features soft lines and shadows that seem to float on the water's surface, creating a rhythm like gentle ripples. Forms are not fixed but appear and disappear, evoking various landscapes in the viewer's imagination. This expression combines the beauty of negative space, reminiscent of Chinese ink painting, with the free compositional sense of Western abstract prints.

In the 1970s, Zao Wou-Ki moved towards a more concise and poetic print expression, using minimal lines and tones to convey profound spirituality. In this work too, the quiet gradations of black and the delicate lines characteristic of etching evoke memories reflected on water and the atmosphere of nature.

Though small in scale, it possesses a depth that guides the viewer into quiet contemplation, embodying the "fusion of nature and spirit" that underlies Zao Wou-Ki's art.