Zheng Guogu, Waterfall, 2003.
Zheng Guogu, Waterfall, 2003. photo Philips de Pury & Cie
Wax, paper, metal armature. Collaborative work with the Yangjiang group including Chen Zaiyan and Sun Qinglin. 210 x 140 x 140 cm (83 x 55 x 55 in). ESTIMATE £40,000-60,000
PROVENANCE Pekin Fine Arts, Beijing
EXHIBITED London, Saatchi Gallery, The Revolution Continues: New Art from China, 2008
LITERATURE The Revolution Continues: New Chinese Art, exh. cat., Saatchi Gallery, London, p. 151 (illustrated)
NOTE From photography to architecture to calligraphy, Zheng Guogu is an artist whose work does not conform to any particular medium or style. Zheng’s sculptural work often combines materials that serve as both tactile and symbolic matter. In Waterfall, the juxtaposition of metal ballast, embedded calligraphy scripts and melted wax can be seen as a reference to the tensions between China’s rich history and its recent transformations. Reminiscent of a mountainous landscape, the work hints at the ever-shifting environment of modern China. With great impact, Waterfall raises critical questions on ideas of permanence and temporality, of the past and the future.
Philips de Pury & Cie. Evening Sale Contempory Art. 29 june 2010. London www.phillipsdepury.com