Behind the Masks of Zeng Fanzhi

[Pierre Tavlitzki]

The young Chinese artist Zeng Fanzhi, 44 years old, won one of the largest bids earlier this year when one of his paintings in the series of Masks was sold $ 75 MHK by Christie's at Hong Kong on May 24. This price, including fees, was equal to five times the low estimate. The ambiguity of this series lies in its very title. His characters have no other mask than their serious attitude nearing stupidity.

Is it now a suitable time to get excited on the value of this artist at auction?

At first glance, viewing the picture and description of the above mentioned oil on canvas of 1996, we see that it was exceptional on two points.

Its dimensions: 2 x 3.60 meters. In contemporary art, the size has a top role in the construction of the price.

Then its subject: The picture does not show one or two Chineses, but a group of eight, turned to the artist with a "cheese" smile.

Is that enough to consider Zeng's value as established?

Zeng Fanzhi is leading the sale of contemporary Chinese art at Sotheby's on September 17 in New York at the lot 7 with a painting, 100 x 80 cm, of the series of Masks ($ 900 K). It represents a character in a suit and tie on the beach with a dog.

There is no doubt that the work of Zeng has admirers. From the strict point of view of my personal feelings, I think his characters are a little too cool compared to the agonizing portraits by Zhang Xiaogang (or, much lower in the scale of the auction results, by Feng Zhengjie).

[Pierre Tavlitzki]

There was no surprise, neither good nor bad, on the painting offered by Sotheby's. It was sold $ 1.1 million charge included.

[Zhenlian]

I really don't like Zeng's paintings at all. Anyway, may be other people like it. Not me. I even wonder how such paintings can be called art.