Nicolas Party, Still Life with an Olive, 2012 - 2013
Estimate HK$26,000,000 – 40,000,000
20th Century & Contemporary Art Evening Sale, 6 October
At the 20th Century & Contemporary Art Evening Sale in Hong Kong, a journey unfolds through transformative narratives of recent decades, showcased by a curated ensemble of artworks. Each artistic expression serves as a mirror to its time, collectively rendering a timeless tableau. Handpicked pieces from renowned artists by the likes of Nicolas Party, Liu Ye, Gerhard Richter, and Zao Wou-Ki orchestrate an intriguing conversation, inviting contemplation on the ways in which art reflects and shapes the passage of time.
Nicolas Party
Nicolas Party, Still Life with an Olive, 2012 - 2013
Estimate HK$26,000,000 – 40,000,000
20th Century & Contemporary Art Evening Sale, 6 October
In the domain where stillness whispers tales of vibrancy, Nicolas Party’s Still Life with an Olive unveils a canvas where reality pirouettes with the surreal, breathing life into inanimate whispers of existence.
Unveiled in 2013 at The Modern Institute of Glasgow, this masterpiece marked one of seven pieces created for Party’s solo exhibition, his only show featuring oil on canvas works, offering a glimpse into the artist's exceptional venture into a medium requiring greater manipulation, demonstrating his refinedness. This canvas echoes the dichotomy of life and stillness, nature and fantasy, while standing as a testament to Party’s innovative approach to “re-working,” having been meticulously crafted over the course of 10-20 months.
Still Life with an Olive is one of the artist’s few oil compositions to feature both fruits and flowers and to ever be offered at auction. It displays a vibrant dialogue where fruits and flowers narrate tales of silent eloquence, combining geometric forms and rich arrangements. Party’s unique training in 3D animation breathes life into mundane subjects, creating paradoxical tapestries of creativity. His smooth contours and clear lines play with flatness illusion, enhancing their artificiality, making them appear larger than life.
“Life is not still and nature is not dead, but maybe a painting can be.”
—Nicolas Party
The masterpiece echoes René Magritte's enigmatic storytelling, transforming everyday objects into symbols of healing, fertility, and hope. The olive, pears, and tulip resonate with the transient nature of human life and the timeless allure of the familiar. Party believes in the enduring conversation between art and observer, past and present, reality and illusion.
Party’s creations continue to captivate audiences, earning acclaim as treasures among collectors. His art is featured in over 30 public collections globally, a testament to the strength of Party’s presence in the market and his innovative reinterpretation of the still life genre. These pieces are far more than mere paintings; they represent a poetic convergence of two opposite notions, a mesmerising dance of nature and fantasy, a timeless dialogue between the artist and the canvas, a masterpiece that continues to re-enchant a utilitarian reality.
Liu Ye
Liu Ye, The End of Baroque, 1998
Estimate HK$18,000,000 – 28,000,000
20th Century & Contemporary Art Evening Sale, 6 October
Liu Ye’s monumental painting, The End of Baroque, is a symphony of symbolism and metaphor. Measuring a rare 200 x 170 cm, it captures the dramatic image of a ship ablaze against an orange sky, bathed in the fiery glow of a setting sun.
Created in 1998, the painting marks a pivotal moment in Liu Ye’s artistic journey, reflecting on his return to China and his time spent training at Amsterdam’s Royal Academy of Fine Arts. The burning ship, a recurring motif in Liu’s work from the ‘90s, stands as a potent symbol of journeys travelled, marking the close of one era and the dawn of another.
The painting’s visual narrative is rich and layered, framed surrealistically by white windows that swing open towards the outside world. This window motif, prevalent in Liu's work since the ‘90s, is indicative of his lineal precision and his admiration for Piet Mondrian's grid compositions.
In The End of Baroque, Liu Ye masterfully straddles the line between realism and surrealism, creating a visual lexicon that is neither a direct portrayal of life nor a return to early Renaissance realism. Instead, it’s a vibrant blend of postmodern and surrealist elements, capturing a state or feeling that exists in the ethereal space between the two.
The artist’s works have been exhibited globally in the Long Museum in Shanghai, the M+ Sigg Collection in Hong Kong, and the Today Art Museum in Beijing.
Gerhard Richter
Gerhard Richter, Abstraktes Bild (456-2), 1980
Estimate HK$ 7,500,000 – 12,000,000
20th Century & Contemporary Art Evening Sale, 6 October
Distinguished as one of the most influential figures in contemporary art, Gerhard Richter’s Abstraktes Bild (456-2) is a testament to his innovative and pioneering spirit. Painted in 1980, four years after the birth of the Abstraktes Bild series, this piece stands as the second proper squeegee painting ever made, following Abstraktes Bild 456-1. This extraordinary work was notably exhibited in the 1982 show Abstrakte Bilder 1976-1981 that travelled across Germany and was featured on the cover of the exhibition catalogue.
Richter’s exploration into abstraction marked a shift from his earlier focus on browns and greys, ushering in an era of bold, bright colours. His masterful manipulation of these hues creates a dynamic interplay of depth, tone, form, and perception, blurring the boundaries between representation and abstraction. As he puts it, “With abstract painting we create a better means of approaching what can neither be seen nor understood.”
Abstraktes Bild (456-2) captures the essence of Richter’s artistic evolution, showcasing the experimental approach to colour and technique he pioneered in the 1980s. It is a visual symphony of spontaneity and orchestration, a testament to the artist’s technical brilliance and relentless pursuit of innovation.
Zao Wou-Ki
Zao Wou-Ki, 10.05.76, 1976
Estimate HK$12,000,000 – 20,000,000
20th Century & Contemporary Art Evening Sale, 6 October
Born in Beijing as the son of a successful banker, Zao Wou-Ki chose art over the expected path, immersing himself in Paris’s vibrant art scene. Rising to prominence through his unique synthesis of Eastern and Western artistic traditions, he became one of the most important Chinese painters of his generation.
His painting, 10.05.76, stands as a testament to his mesmerising fusion of Eastern heritage and Western avant-garde, a vibrant symphony transcending cultural boundaries. Crafted during a pivotal period of personal turmoil and transformation following the passing of his second wife, this piece signifies a significant shift in Zao’s artistic journey, encapsulating his unique experience and diverse influences.
The painting is an exquisite dance of light and shadow, where gestural brushstrokes capture ephemeral moments of brilliance, creating a sense of movement and depth that is both theatrical and serene. The rich palette of colours, layered with meticulous precision, results in soft tonal gradations that evoke the delicate washes of traditional Chinese ink paintings. His clever use of empty space, sophisticated colours, and virtuosic brushwork captures a striking impression of nature, a testament to his unique fusion of Western modernism and traditional Chinese aesthetics.
Zao’s legacy continues to inspire generations of artists. His works, held in over 150 public collections globally, serve as enduring reminders of his unparalleled contribution to contemporary art.
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