ZENG FANZHI (CHINA, B. 1964)

Zeng Fanzhi's study of different expressions of lines can be seen in his Abstract Landscape series , where speed, action, and character modelling are all integrated. As a famed contemporary artist who had already made his name internationally, Zeng Fanzhi did not stay creatively dormant. With his work Untitled, he again demonstrates to the world his astonishing artistic accomplishments.

Most landscape paintings favour a wide field of vision that captures the entire scene. Zeng Fanzhi does the complete opposite - wild grass takes the centre stage in a majestic manner. Although the foliage criss-crosses against itself, the painting does not look confusing nor dull - the artist's superior treatment of this complicated network gives it distinct layering and a sense of transparency. The undulating brushstrokes and their meandering directions guide the viewer's gaze through the dense thicket and into the space beyond.

The brushwork in Untitled is bold and powerful. The angular movements of the lines are reminiscent of Chinese calligraphy, considered to be the art of lines. The lines in Zeng Fanzhi's brushwork are agile and muscular like seal script. Zeng Fanzhi's superb grasp of the medium's physical characteristics enables him to layer wet paint in a distinctive manner. This technique requires the artist to decisively and speedily execute the brushwork in order to achieve a three-dimensional effect. Standing in front of Untitled, viewers are swept away by the creative torrent that is charged in every line that Zeng Fanzhi painted and into the fantastic world of his abstract
landscapes.