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For a long time, Zhou Chunya's oeuvre has been focused on subjects which emphasise vitality and life. From the blue skies and the yellow-green grasslands as the background, to the vibrant peach blossom forest in the foreground, to the passionate man and woman in the midground, Smell the Flowers presents a picture filled with layered meanings. The piece can even be regarded amongst Zhou's most tension-filled and comprehensive pieces, veiling a pair of lovers hiding within a gorgeous peach blossom forest. The painting depicts the liberation of primal instincts, both in the liveliness of the competing peach blossoms to the energy of the lovers. The strong rhythm of these figures fills the painting with an underlying erotic tension.
Zhou's Red Man series began in the late 1990s, originating from the extension of the artist’s mid-1990s Mountain Stone series featuring stones stacked and twisted into human-like forms. The bright red colour deviates from the previous natural hues, employed to denote passion. The present work's figures rendered in sanguinous red hues is accompanied by a stark nakedness and sexual implicitness. With its strong sense of palette and bodies intertwined with lust, Smell the Flowers exhibits the artist's deepest desires. As the artist himself once said, these red people express the beauty of life.
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Egon Schiele, Lovers, 1914-15
Collection of Leopold Museum, ViennaIn the late 1990s, Zhou started to introduce peach blossoms into his works, but most of them served as mere backgrounds. In the spring of 2005, he went to Longquanyi in the suburbs of Chengdu, where the sight of the mountains covered in peach blossoms left a deep impression on the artist. After this, peach blossoms suddenly were pushed to the fore of his works: the flowers follow a method of extreme fullness to make the picture literally bloom with excitement and vervour. At this time, Zhou explored the interconnectivity between peach blossoms and red figures, and merged the wild and amorous feelings of the peach blossoms with the burning excitement of lovers embracing each other amongst flowers, creating a fantasy-like world of erotic desire. Just like the outspread peach trees in Smell the Flowers, the arms of the lovers are mirrored, as if they are in full bloom as they embrace. The over all composition creates a strong and straightforward sensory experience. At the same time, it is also unapologetic in its subject matter, showing love and lust at a glance. On the one hand, the painting is Zhou’s projection of the beauty of his own life; on the other hand, it is also the product of his pursuit to release and capture people's desire. The picture exudes passion and vibrance of scenery, forming the charm behind Zhou's works.
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Piet Mondrian, The Grey Tree, 1911
The Collection of the Haags Gemeentemuseum,The HagueIn Smell the Flowers, the twisted peach trunk is like a condensed expression of traditional calligraphic lines, and the brushwork shows the free and organic sprawling of branches and roots, while the scattered momentum contains abundant energy. In addition, Zhou presents the difference of space with varying brushstroke densities. The flat ground below is emerald grass interspersed with countless vertical brushstrokes, while the sky above is made up of rosy clouds with alternating light and dark, purple-tinged blocks. The result of this combination of abstract and concrete is one that evokes landscape patterns in traditional Chinese paintings. Even though the artist uses the expressive skills of Western painting and uses pointed colours to express his emotions, he has always been rooted in the traditional roots of China: and in his arrangement of lines and space, the basic techniques of traditional Chinese painting can be found. His paintings advocate passion and emphasise individuality, by absorbing, blending and transforming Eastern and Western traditions and combining them to form a unique vocabulary of contemporary Chinese painting.
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Vincent van Gogh, Wheatfield with Crows, 1890
Collection of the Van Gogh Museum, AmsterdamProvenance
Acquired directly from the artist by the present owner
Exhibited
Shanghai Art Museum, 1971-2010 Forty Years Retrospective Review of Zhou Chunya, 13 - 23 June 2010
Literature
Hong Lei, ed., Zhou Chunya, Hong Kong, 2010, pp. 540-541 (illustrated)
Property from an Eminent Private Asian Collection
Ж35
Smell the Flowers
signed and dated '2008 Zhou Chunya [in Chinese and Pinyin]' lower right
oil on canvas
200 x 250 cm. (78 3/4 x 98 3/8 in.)
Painted in 2008.
Estimate
HK$5,000,000 - 7,000,000
€569,000-796,000
$641,000-897,000
Sold for HK$6,905,000
Charlotte Raybaud
Head of Evening Sale, 20th Century & Contemporary Art
+852 2318 2026
CharlotteRaybaud@phillips.com
20th Century & Contemporary Art Evening Sale in Association with Poly Auction
Hong Kong Auction 30 November 2021
1
Cinga Samson
Ivory V
Estimate HK$250,000 - 350,000
Sold for HK$2,520,000
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2
Salman Toor
East Village Iqbal Bano
Estimate HK$1,800,000 - 2,800,000
Sold for HK$4,536,000
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3
Nina Chanel Abney
Untitled (IXI Black)
Estimate HK$1,500,000 - 2,500,000
Sold for HK$3,024,000
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4
Jamian Juliano-Villani
Clear Cough from Your Schedule
Estimate HK$200,000 - 400,000
Sold for HK$781,200
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5
Mr.
Yume—Breath of the Earth
Estimate HK$1,000,000 - 2,000,000
Sold for HK$4,032,000
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6
Julie Curtiss
Escargot
Estimate HK$400,000 - 600,000
Sold for HK$1,449,000
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7
Javier Calleja
30 works: Untitled
Estimate HK$10,000,000 - 15,000,000
Sold for HK$12,108,000
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8
Javier Calleja
You Me
Estimate HK$3,000,000 - 4,000,000
Sold for HK$7,026,000
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9
Aya Takano
In the Lab (the Birth of Jelly)
Estimate HK$200,000 - 300,000
Sold for HK$441,000
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10
Hernan Bas
Minimalism (cracking the code)
Estimate HK$1,000,000 - 1,500,000
Sold for HK$3,780,000
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11
Joel Mesler
Untitled (Night Out)
Estimate HK$500,000 - 700,000
Sold for HK$1,512,000
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12
Shara Hughes
Magic Island
Estimate HK$1,500,000 - 2,500,000
Sold for HK$4,788,000
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13
Scott Kahn
Cadman Plaza
Estimate HK$1,000,000 - 1,500,000
Sold for HK$7,510,000
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14
Matthew Wong
Nature’s Church
Estimate HK$4,000,000 - 6,000,000
Sold for HK$9,204,000
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15
Matthew Wong
Far Away Eyes
Estimate HK$8,000,000 - 12,000,000
Sold for HK$21,183,000
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16
Gerhard Richter
Kerzenschein (Candle-light)
Estimate HK$55,000,000 - 75,000,000
Sold for HK$101,970,000
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17
This lot is no longer available.
18
Yayoi Kusama
INFINITY-NETS (OPRT)
Estimate HK$15,000,000 - 25,000,000
Sold for HK$22,635,000
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19
Yayoi Kusama
Repetition
Estimate HK$15,000,000 - 20,000,000
Sold for HK$19,005,000
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20
Nicolas Party
Still Life
Estimate HK$6,200,000 - 9,400,000
Sold for HK$17,190,000
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21
David Hockney
Bridlington Violets
Estimate HK$10,000,000 - 15,000,000
Sold for HK$12,350,000
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22
Léonard-Tsuguharu Foujita
Self-Portrait with a Cat
Estimate HK$4,000,000 - 6,000,000
Sold for HK$5,292,000
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23
This lot is no longer available.
24
Sanyu
Paysage Aux Hirondelles
Estimate HK$26,000,000 - 46,000,000
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25
Zao Wou-Ki
Sans titre ("Notre Dame")
Estimate HK$7,500,000 - 10,000,000
Sold for HK$10,051,000
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26
Zao Wou-Ki
Brume d’automne
Estimate HK$4,500,000 - 7,500,000
Sold for HK$4,788,000
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27
Auguste Rodin
Le Baiser, 1ère réduction dite aussi "réduction n°1"
Estimate HK$10,000,000 - 15,000,000
Sold for HK$11,745,000
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28
Zao Wou-Ki
20.3.64.
Estimate HK$20,000,000 - 30,000,000
Sold for HK$22,030,000
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29
This lot is no longer available.
30
Alexander Calder
Two Red Petals in the Air
Estimate HK$16,000,000 - 20,000,000
Sold for HK$20,820,000
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31
Claude Monet
Pavots dans un vase de Chine
Estimate HK$9,500,000 - 15,000,000
Sold for HK$13,560,000
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32
Georges Mathieu
Saxifrage
Estimate HK$2,000,000 - 3,000,000
Sold for HK$2,520,000
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33
This lot is no longer available.
34
Huang Yuxing
Floating Bubbles
Estimate HK$1,800,000 - 2,800,000
Sold for HK$2,772,000
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35
Zhou Chunya
Smell the Flowers
Estimate HK$5,000,000 - 7,000,000
Sold for HK$6,905,000
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36
This lot is no longer available.
37
Liu Ye
Flagship No. 2
Estimate HK$2,000,000 - 3,000,000
Sold for HK$5,922,000
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38
Wang Xingwei
Untitled (Heart-Shaped Dance)
Estimate HK$2,800,000 - 4,800,000
Sold for HK$3,780,000
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39
Liu Ye
Untitled
Estimate HK$3,000,000 - 5,000,000
Sold for HK$3,780,000
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40
Liu Wei
You Like Smoking?
Estimate HK$3,000,000 - 5,000,000
Sold for HK$3,780,000
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41
Izumi Kato
Untitled
Estimate HK$4,500,000 - 7,500,000
Sold for HK$11,745,000
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42
Yoshitomo Nara
Pandora's Box
Estimate HK$7,500,000 - 10,000,000
Sold for HK$13,560,000
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43
George Condo
The Dreamer
Estimate HK$4,600,000 - 6,200,000
Sold for HK$11,140,000
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44
George Condo
Entangled Figures
Estimate HK$6,200,000 - 9,200,000
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45
This lot is no longer available.
46
KAWS
NEW YORK
Estimate HK$4,000,000 - 6,000,000
Sold for HK$5,040,000
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47
KAWS
FINAL DAYS
Estimate HK$6,200,000 - 8,200,000
Sold for HK$8,115,000
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48
Raymond Pettibon
Untitled (Force makes nature...)
Estimate HK$1,500,000 - 2,500,000
Sold for HK$3,906,000
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49
Robert Nava
Angel Shark
Estimate HK$1,200,000 - 1,800,000
Sold for HK$4,410,000
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50
Susumu Kamijo
Marching To The Sun
Estimate HK$450,000 - 650,000
Sold for HK$2,142,000
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51
Jadé Fadojutimi
Fishing For Steps
Estimate HK$1,200,000 - 2,200,000
Sold for HK$4,788,000
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52
Mickalene Thomas
Looking Up from the She Works Hard For the Money Pin-Up series
Estimate HK$1,000,000 - 2,000,000
Sold for HK$3,780,000
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53
Billie Zangewa
Cirque d'hiver
Estimate HK$400,000 - 600,000
Sold for HK$567,000
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54
Godwin Champs Namuyimba
The Connector
Estimate HK$200,000 - 400,000
Sold for HK$1,323,000
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55
Tunji Adeniyi-Jones
Blue Ancestor
Estimate HK$400,000 - 600,000
Sold for HK$1,071,000
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56
Tomoo Gokita
Final Confrontation
Estimate HK$1,200,000 - 2,200,000
Sold for HK$2,520,000
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57
Ewa Juszkiewicz
Appropriation
Estimate HK$400,000 - 600,000
Sold for HK$1,890,000
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58
Lucas Arruda
Untitled from the series Deserto-Modelo
Estimate HK$1,000,000 - 1,500,000
Sold for HK$3,780,000
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