Untitled Possibly 1962

Here's an untitled artwork by Zao Wou-Ki. I can imagine him applying the fluid layers of paint, one after another, letting them bleed and blend in a dance of intuition and control. I wonder what Zao Wou-Ki was thinking as he worked on this? Maybe he started with the broad strokes of blue and brown, letting them settle into a horizon line. Then he introduced the tangled web of dark, gestural marks, almost like calligraphy, drawing us into the heart of the painting. The paint seems thin, almost staining the paper, allowing for a luminous quality. It reminds me of Cy Twombly's scribbled surfaces and Helen Frankenthaler's soak-stain technique. Artists are constantly in conversation, borrowing and building upon each other's ideas, and this piece feels like part of that ongoing dialogue. These gestures communicate feeling, intention, and meaning.