EXHIBITED:
China: Contemporary Painting, Fondazione Carisbo,Palazzo Saraceni e San Giorgio in Poggiale, Bologna,January 29 – March 6, 2005; Padova, Palazzo del Monte diPieta, March 19 – May 22, 2005ILLUSTRATEDI/We, the Painting of Zeng Fanzhi 1991-2003, Hubei FineArts Publishing House, Wuhan, 2003, color illustrated, p. 40
China: Contemporary Painting Exhibition Catalogue,Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio, Bologna, 2005, colorillustrated, p. 223

Zeng Fanzhi believes that because the Chinese are adept at using chopsticks, their hands are especially nimble. In his attempts to paint along with the flow of his brush, it would appear that there is nothing special about his brush, but when he holds it backwards, astonishing effects are seen. He favors using a single shade of color, layering the tones together to create an effect of automatism painting. After the spiraling techniques of his “We” series, Zeng Fanzhi’s latest works have since shifted towards the usage of his brush to create the fluid, calligraphic line work of his “Grass Series.” “We” can be considered a critical transition period in Zeng Fanzhi’s creative career. These linear expressions of drawing reflect the unique handling of the brush of traditional Chinese ink paintings, highlighting the artist’s power and potential in his creative discoveries and innovations.

The 2002 work “Untitled” marked the start of the “We” series. During this period, Zeng Fanzhi mainly began from clear depictions of a portion of each face, and spiraled outward using a single color, gradually pulling the image out of focus in a destructive manner. His faces are divided by several brush strokes, and the more strokes there are, the more unclear they become. At a glance, they seem like what you would see through a mosaic window glass on a rainy day, but once the viewer moves backwards, the image becomes clear again at once. This work was a rare example that focused on the portrayal of a part of the body during that period. The subject’s thin figure and muscles around the belly entwine with one another, the line work of the image wild in contrast to the conservative masked appearance of his “Mask Series.” In the constant reconstruction of “Untitled,” what is left is the raw pain of being stripped of the mask. This is Zeng Fanzhi’s meticulous portrayal of the anxiety of modern society, the mental state of the subject seeping into the texture of his skin. Zeng Fanzhi comments, “That is me, and also us.” Be it a hardened mask that conceals our withering spirits or a clear depiction of our suppressed emotions, this is clearly one of the best works this series has to offer.