Press Release Hong Kong

For Immediate Release

Hong Kong | Ruby Hung | +852 2822 8146 | ruby.hung@sothebys.com | Winnie Tang | +852 2822 8129 | winnie.tang@sothebys.com Rhonda Yung | +852 2822 8143 | rhonda.yung@sothebys.com | Carmen Ting | +852 2822 8140 | carmen.ting@sothebys.com London | Matthew Weigman | +44 (0)20 7293 6000 | matthew.weigman@sothebys.com New York | Dan Abernethy / Lauren Gioia | +1 212 606 7176 | dan.abernethy@sothebys.com / lauren.gioia@sothebys.com

SOTHEBYS HONG KONG 40TH ANNIVERSARY EVENING SALE

TO BE HELD ON SATURDAY, 5 OCTOBER 2013

- Offering Over 60 Works of Superb Quality From 20th Century Chinese Art, Contemporary Asian Art And Modern And Contemporary Southeast Asian Art Categories ESTIMATED AT OVER HK$660 MILLION / US$85 MILLION THE HIGHEST TOTAL ESTIMATE OF ANY COMPARABLE SALE IN ASIA

Clockwise from top left: Modern Chinese Master Zao Wou-kis 16.5.66 (Est. HK$30 50 million / US$3.8 6.4 million), Contemporary Indonesian Artist Rudi Mantofanis Bayangan Merah (Red Shadow) (Est. HK$ 380,000 580,000 / US$48,000 74,000) and Contemporary Chinese Artist Liu Yes Sword (Estimate upon request)

Hong Kong, 22 August 2013

In celebration of its 40th anniversary in Asia, Sothebys is delighted to present the eagerly

anticipated Sothebys Hong Kong 40th Anniversary Evening Sale at 7pm on Saturday, 5 October 2013 during its Hong Kong Autumn 2013 Sale Series (4 8 October). This carefully-curated sale will combine the best offerings from 20th Century Chinese Art, Contemporary Asian Art and Modern and Contemporary Southeast Asian Art categories. Estimated at over HK$66 HK$660 66 0 million / US$85 US$85 million* The Highest Total Estimate Of Any Comparable Sale In Asia - this celebratory Evening Sale will offer over 60 works of exceptional quality by such eminent artists as Wang Yidong, Chu Tehchun, Zeng Fanzhi, Liu Ye, Walter Spies and Ronald Ventura, among many others. Of particular note, the evening will be led by a remarkable group of seven museum-quality works by modern Chinese masters from A Distinguished Private Collection (Est. over HK$211 million / US$27.1 million), featuring highly important paintings in oil by Zao Wou-ki, Sanyu and Wu Guanzhong. (See separate press release)

Commenting on this Evening Sale, Kevin Ching, Chief Executive Officer of Sothebys Asia, Asia says: As we planned our 40th Anniversary in Asia programme, we agreed that an auction combining exceptional works from 20th Century Chinese Art, Contemporary Asian Art and Modern and Contemporary Southeast Asian Art categories would be an appropriate and timely way to celebrate. We are, therefore, delighted to present Sothebys Hong Kong 40th Anniversary Evening Sale scheduled for 5 October. It will offer truly rare, remarkable and fresh-to-the-market works from the important collections of our valued clients. We are extremely grateful for their trust and confidence in Sothebys, and hope that the Evening Sale would provide a unique opportunity to acquire works of superb quality. With the highest total estimate of any comparable sale in Asia, this Auction promises to be a fitting and memorable anniversary celebration.

20TH CENTURY CHINESE ART

25 exceptional works by renowned modern Chinese artists will be showcased, including Chu Teh-Chun, Chen Yifei, Wang Yidong, Pan Yuliang, Luo Zhongli, Wang Huaiqing, etc. The sale of A Distinguished Private Collection will be the highlight featuring seven museum-quality works by modern Chinese masters, including Zao Wou-ki, Sanyu and Wu Guanzhong. Chen Yifei (1946 (1946 2005), 2005), Maids of Honor , 1998, oil on canvas, 167.5 x 164.2 cm Est. HK$8.8 HK$8.8 12 million / US$1.1 US$1.1 1.5 million Maids of Honor Honor illustrates traditional feminine demureness in Chinese women. Its sensual depiction of two maidens, lying parallel to each other side by side, arouses a sense of intimacy to dramatic effect, while their postures also reveal the sensitivities of the female psyche. Displaying superb realist techniques, Chen combines his forthright, free-flowing brushstrokes with modern cinematic photography techniques to provide a birds eye view of the protagonists immersed in resplendent hues of gold. The enchanting charms they personify are classical yet modern. By creating this iconic image of Chinese beauty, Chen has helped elevate the standing of Chinese realist oil paintings in the international art scene - Maids of Honor has been exhibited at Marlborough Gallery in New York and Monte Carlo.

Wang Yidong (b. (b. 1955), 1955), Letter , 2006, oil on canvas, 100 x 150 cm Est. HK$10 18 million / US$1.3 2.3 million A leading figure of Chinese Realism, Wang Yidong embarks on an aesthetic portrayal of a young woman in love and the moments of conjugal bliss she experiences in the present work The Letter - appeared at auction for the first time. Exuding a girlish naivet, the image of her unembellished face within the paintings narrative context, reminiscent of a scene from cinema, brings back ones memories of innocent romance and all its heartrending yearnings. The classic Renaissance realistic techniques, chiaroscuro and sfumato, are applied to fuse traditional Chinese ink painting style with Western oil, resulting in this rustic-themed romantic odyssey. Chu TehTeh -Chun (b. (b. 1920), 1920), Embrasement (A Blazing Area), 1978, oil on canvas, 195 x 130.2 130 .2 cm, cm , Est. HK$12 18 million / US$1.5 2.3 million Chu Teh-Chun was known as a fire-like painter in France for his passionate style. After spending years travelling abroad, the paintings he composed in the 1970s not only encapsulate the essence of Western aesthetics, but also the depth of his familiarity with Chinese culture. Dominated by the compelling red colour, Embrasement (A Blazing Area), which has never appeared at auction before, commands immediate attention, drawing its viewers into the artists inner world, where the flame of his life burns bright like the rising sun and the Taoist concepts of harmony and chaos are expressed. Red, a Chinese symbol of auspiciousness, abundance, strength and life, permeates through the paintings composition, imagery and its underlying rhythms to create a sense of infinite space marked by unceasing changes and the force of life. Zao WouWou -ki (1920 (1920 2013), 2013), 16.5.66, 1966, oil on canvas, 195 x 130 cm Est. HK$30 50 million / US$3.8 6.4 million The vertical canvas of 16.5.66 features a rich backdrop of amber, orange and apricot yellow, superimposed with the etchings of crisscrossing brushstrokes hastily executed in black. Painted in the bold, unfettered style of Cao Shu (cursive script) calligraphy, the lines rise upwards with an uninterrupted force. From the centre, they radiate out in unruly movements to create the image of a dynamic cyclone. Orange and red, the colours that suffuse this painting, are primarily used to communicate Zao Wou-kis unbridled passion for his art. The brushstroke displayed is equally outstanding, executed energetically to seemingly form the Chinese character ai (love) in black. The artists ability to create a range of tones using only black to multilayered and contrasting effects indicates a masterful grasp of Chinese calligraphy skills. Through the breathtaking brushstrokes showcased on canvas, viewers can almost visualise every breath the artist inhales, his every movement and all the vitality he musters to perform this work. Coming from an important European private collection, this spectacular piece has been exhibited at a Zao Wou-ki solo exhibition at Palais des Beaux-arts, Charleroi, Belgium, 1969, and will be offered at auction for the first time. 3

A Distinguished Private Collection (see separate press release) The Evening Sale will be led by the sale of a remarkable group of seven museum-quality works by modern Chinese masters from A Distinguished Private Collection. These highly important paintings in oil by Sanyu, Zao Wou-ki and Wu Guanzhong, widely recognised as the most sought-after artists in modern Chinese art today, were created at seminal moments in their respective artistic careers. All of the works have been exhibited at major art institutions or museum exhibitions and will appear for the first time at auction or after a long absence from the market. Estimated at over HK$211 million / US$27.1 million, the group of seven works from the Collection coming to the market provides an outstanding collecting opportunity for discerning collectors. Zao WouWou -ki, 15.1.82 (triptych) , oil on canvas, 1982, 195.3 x 390.5 cm Est. HK$68 90 million / US$8.7 11.5 million

In the early 1980s, Zao threw himself into creating a number of large-format, majestic polyptych works, as though they were to provide expression for the joys of life he rediscovered. As one of the most representative pieces in this oeuvre, the present 15.1.82 15 .1.82 (triptych) stands out with its subtle beauty and richness. It celebrates the aesthetics of a mature painter who, in his early sixties, had achieved the mental transition to become free of worry and cravings. 15.1.82 (triptych) has been exhibited at Zao Wou-kis first solo exhibition at the National Museum of History, Taipei (1983), as well as exhibitions at Galerie de France (1984), Fuji Television Gallery, Japan (1987) and Saatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden, Germany (2008). Featured in many publications dedicated to Zao and his works, 15.1.82 (triptych) is one of the artists most important and seminal works. This gigantic triptych also represents the key stylistic transition Zao underwent during this significant period.

Sanyu (1901 1966), Goldfish, 1930s 1940s, oil on canvas, 73.8 x 50.2 cm Est. HK$50 70 million / US$6.4 9 million It is important to note that in the exquisite and very rare oil on canvas Goldfish, Sanyu uses the auspicious Chinese symbol, the swimming goldfish, signifying yearly surplus, to be his main subject for the first and only time. Distinct from the early works dominated by soft pink and white hues which Sanyu painted in his Pink Period in the 1930s, in Goldfish , almost in contrast, Sanyus use of coral red and white, the colours closely associated with Chinese culture, is a bold and concise effort to delineate spatial relationships. Goldfish bears a distinguished provenance. Over the past 60 years, this remarkable work has only been in two collections. The first was Robert Frank, a famous American photographer, who was also a close friend of Sanyus, for whom Sothebys held a dedicated sale for his collection in 1997 in Taiwan. The present owner seized the unique opportunity and acquired the work at this auction. As the most important work in the sale, Goldfish was naturally chosen as the cover illustration of the auction catalogue. The paintings re-emergence on the market after its long absence from the public eye is set to spark another bout of market frenzy.

CONTEMPORARY ASIAN ART

A stellar line-up of 18 works by such eminent contemporary Asian artists as Zhang Xiaogang, Liu Ye, Takashi Murakami, Yayoi Kusama, Yoshitomo Nara and Zeng Fanzhi will be on offer. Many of the works are offered for the first time at auction. Liu Ye (b. 1964 1964) 64), Sword, Sword, 2001 2002, 2002 , acrylic acrylic and oil on canvas, 180 x 360 cm Estimate Upon Request The Evening Sale will bring the debut auction appearance of Sword - one of the three large-format works of the same size from the same series by Liu Ye executed between 2001 to 2002. Sothebys established world auction record for the artist when another work from the series Smoke sold for HK$3.7 million in April 2006. Smoke and the other work, Gun, are now unavailable on the market the former is kept in a private collection while the latter is currently held in a museum collection thus allowing the spotlight to fall on the present Sword, a large-format work that far surpasses its companions in its poignancy and vivid nostalgia. Inspired by Ang Lees award-winning film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Sword resonates a scene of the film where the two female leads posed in a showdown of might and skill. The works ability to capture the same surrealist whimsicality that has become tantamount to the artists work, while combining in equal parts Western and Chinese influences, allows this piece to stand out in all of its exceptional rarity. While the style of the painting is intensely Asian and looks back to a strong history of Chinese art, Western styles of shading and shaping are employed to convey such things as the fleeciness of the treetops or the jagged coldness of the blades.

Takashi Murakami (b. 1962), 1962), The World of Sphere (diptych), (diptych) , 2003, 2003, acrylic a crylic on canvas, 350 x 350cm Est. HK$16 24 million / US$2.1 3.1 million In 2002, Louis Vuittons creative director, Marc Jacobs, invited Takashi Murakami to design for the brands accessories line. The present The World of Sphere (diptych) is the most iconic painting from the series associated with artists collaborative venture with Louis Vuitton. Making its debut appearance at auction, the work is distinctive for taking the artists signature superflat style to an entirely new level. Superflat, which began as an explorative play on surface versus three-dimensional depth in 2000 at his exhibition of the same title that featured commercial designers from Japan, soon grew into a blurring of lines between fine art and commercial culture. The World of Sphere (diptych), however, is not only a representation of this blurring of boundaries, but functions as a central threshold of
2003 Takashi Murakami/Kaikai Kiki Co., Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

merging worlds. This painting was included in the artists 2007

retrospective exhibition MURAKAMI at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles. Zhang Xiaogang (b. 1958), 1958), Bloodline: Big Family No. 12, 1996, oil oil on canvas, 190 x 150 cm Est. HK$16 25 million / US$2.1 3.2 million Bloodline: Big Family No. 12 is one of the earliest paintings that allude to the close relationship the artist had with his beloved daughter Huanhuan, featuring a rare and personal composition of a father and young daughter together. The painting also skillfully showcases the subtle yet crucial aesthetic transition from the early phase of the Bloodline: Big Family series to the later works in Zhangs career. In the early 90s, the image of Zhangs mother is frequently found in the artists works. This includes the mother and son composition in the painting Bloodline: Big Family No. 13, in which the artist reflects his close relationship with his mother. The birth of his daughter, thus, had naturally become another important subject matter in his later works. Bloodline: Big Family No. 12 is one of the earliest and finest works, not only in his oeuvre, but in the entire Bloodline: Big Family series, to speak of this personal father and daughter bond that holds great importance to Zhang himself. Its first appearance at auction will certainly bring intense bidding. Zeng Fanzhi (b. 1964 1964) 64), Mask Series, 2001, 2001, oil oil on canvas, 220 x 145 cm Est. HK$20 2 5 million / US$2.6 3.2 million Mask Series, which will appear for the first time at auction, features many symbols that have underscored Zengs career, such as the infamous mask, Maoist jacket, engorged head and hands as well as the blank glower of the solitary character. Not only is Mask Series rare due to its large format a size that does not feature often in the present series it is also a powerful example of the artists more mature work. When compared with Zengs earlier Mask works in the early 90s, the present Mask Series is much more developed. Towards the end of the 90s and into the early part of the 21st Century, Zengs works became more refined and controlled. This striking piece is also a curious blend of German Expressionism, Social Realism, and Abstract Expressionism. 6

MODERN & CONTEMPORARY SOUTH SOUTHEAST ASIAN PAINTINGS P AINTINGS

Southeast Asian art has emerged over the past decade as a fast-growing sector to watch. Global interest is on the rise, with bidding emanating from collectors beyond Asia. In this Evening Sale, 18 exemplary works from the regions most acclaimed artists are selected to showcase the rich and diverse cultures of Southeast Asia. Modern masters such as Walter Spies, Juan Luna, S. Sudjojono, Chen Wen Hsi and Fernando Zobel are featured, alongside a line-up of contemporary artists including Ronald Ventura, Ay Tjoe Christine, Rudi Mantofani and Nona Garcia. Walter Spies (1895 1942), 1942), Blick von Der Hhe (A View from the Heights), Heights), 1934, 1934 , oil oil on canvas, canvas, 100.5 x 82.5 cm Estimate upon request request Leading the Modern section is an extremely rare masterpiece - Blick von Der Hhe (A View from the Heights) - by renowned German artist, Walter Spies. Relocated to Indonesia in the 1920s, Spies is regarded as a key figure in Indonesias modern art movement and is respected for his influence upon the countrys artistic heritage. However, due to the artists untimely death at 46, there are only a handful of oil paintings that are known to exist, with less than 50 of these works depicting his celebrated island motifs - the present work is one of them. It is also a rare oil-oncanvas work by Spies remaining in private hands. In Blick von Der Hhe (A View from the Heights), Spies favoured themes and constructs are perfectly exemplified: the Balinese countryside, the palm trees, the rice fields and the lonesome farmer. The dramatic play of light and shadows and the composition of multiple scenes both signature elements in the artists works - instill a sense of depth, drama and mood into the narrative. The farmer resting in the corner, his silhouette outlined by the last rays of the setting sun, represented the everyman that inhabited Spies imagination. This painting is a meditative study of a nocturnal moment which also reflects Walter Spies passion for the island. Chen Wen Hsi (1906 - 1992), 1992), Pasar (Market), (Market), Circa 1950s, 1950s, oil oil on board, board, 130 x 104.5 cm Est. HK$4 - 6 million / US$515,000 - 773,000 Another star lot is an iconic piece by Singapores prolific Nanyang artist, Chen Wen Hsi, Hsi who is recognised as one of the Founding Fathers of Modern Art in Singapore. This season, Sothebys is pleased to present Pasar (Market), a quintessential example of Chens work circa 1950s, the seminal period of his career. This exceptional piece is regarded as the largest oil-on-board piece that has ever come to auction, revealing the artists fascination with angles and critique of shapes; the bold gestures and distinguished palette also reflect the development of Chens Cubist modernistic vocabulary. Daringly expressing the positive and negative geometrical spaces, Chen draws upon memories with three primary colours: red, blue and yellow capturing vividly the energetic atmosphere of the market in Singapore. The excitement for the medium and intensity of interaction with it is palpable.

Ronald Ventura (b. 1973), 1973) , Magicaland, 20112011 -12, 12, oil oil on canvas, canvas, 179.5 x 366 cm Est. HK$880,000 - 1.28 million / US$113,000 - 165,000 The section Contemporary anchored by

Magicaland from Filipino artist Ronald Ventura, Ventura the celebrated world record holder of the most expensive Contemporary Southeast Asian artwork to ever be sold at auction (Grayground sold for HK$8.42 million at Sothebys Hong Kong in April 2011). Magicaland is a monumental piece of unparalleled excellence - a medley of art history, pop icons, and Filipino cultural references. Inspired by 16th Century Flemish Renaissance painter Pieter Bruegels The Fall of The Magician, Ventura has recast the artist as the magician in the painting. A visionary in the guise of an artist, Ventura continues to tear apart paradigms and cultural norms, with a happy abandonment that is evident throughout his body of work. Magicaland is ultimately a visual allegory where rhyme and reason collide playfully into one another, and he as the painter is the mastermind behind it all. Rudi Mantofani (b. 1973), 1973) , Bayangan Merah (Red Shadow), Shadow), 2009, 2009 , acrylic a crylic on canvas, canvas, 200 x 200 cm Est. HK$380,000 HK$380,000 580,000 / US$48,000 74,000 Sothebys set the world auction record of Indonesian Contemporary artist Rudi Mantofani in October 2008 (Pohon-pohon Langit - sold for HK$3.02 million), and is proud to offer another thoughtprovoking work by the artist - Bayangan Merah (Red Shadow) - this Autumn. Measuring 200 x 200 cm, this magnificent canvas is imbued with a sense of enigmatic beauty. A luxuriant tree occupies the central position of the painting, but the depiction of its surrealistic red shadow challenges viewers to decipher the underlying codes within Mantofanis witty visual parable. The visual ploy here is a meditation on human nature. Through this work, Mantofani attempts to bring us closer to the truth while maintaining a positive outlook. Bayangan Merah (Red Shadow) is a fresh and iconic work that testifies to Rudi Mantofanis reputation as a virtuoso painter and a critical thinker. The combination of rich visual narrative and enigmatic aesthetic highlights the present work as one of the artists finest.
*Estimates do not include buyers premium and prices achieved include the hammer price plus buyers premium. Images available upon request | Press releases and sales information are now available at www.sothebys.com All catalogues are available online at www.sothebys.com or through Sothebys Catalogue iPad App

NOTES TO EDITORS I) SOTHEBY'S HONG KONG AUTUMN SALES 201 201 3 CALENDAR (The schedule is subject to change) Auction Category 4 Oct 5 Oct Domaine Clarence Dillon: Chteau Haut Brion - Chteau Quintus - Chteau La Mission Haut Brion - Wines Direct from the Cellars A Magnificent Bordeaux Cellar Important Burgundy and Bordeaux from a Private Cellar Early Ink Masters Sothebys Hong Kong 40th Anniversary Evening Sale (20th Century Chinese Art, Contemporary Asian Art & Modern and Contemporary Southeast Asian Paintings) 20th Century Chinese Art Day Sale Contemporary Asian Art Day Sale Modern and Contemporary Southeast Asian Paintings Day Sale Fine Chinese Paintings Magnificent Jewels and Jadeite Chinese Art Through The Eye Of Sakamoto Gor Qing Imperial Porcelain A Kyoto Collection The Cunliffe Musk Mallow Palace Bowl Important Ming Porcelain From A Private Collection Fine Chinese Ceramics & Works of Art Important Watches

6 Oct

7 Oct 8 Oct

HONG KONG EXHIBITION AND AUCTION VENUE Hall 3, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (New Wing), 1 Expo Drive, Wan Chai, Hong Kong II) ASIA TRAVELLING EXHIBITIONS CALENDAR Date City Venue 30 & 31 Aug Jakarta The Capital Residence 4 & 5 Sep Shanghai Jian An Shangri-La 7 & 8 Sep 13 & 14 Sep 16 & 17 Sep 21 & 22 Sep 24 & 25 Sep Beijing Singapore Bangkok Taipei Kaohsiung China World Summit Wing Beijing The Regent Singapore The Sukhothai Fubon International Convention Centre Ambassador Hotel Kaohsiung

III) SOTHEBY'S HONG KONG UPCOMING EXHIBI EXHIBI TIONS TION S AND SELLING EXHIBITIONS IN SEP NOV (The schedule is subject to change) Date Event Venue 12 24 Sep 3 7 Oct 10 20 Oct 25 Oct 2 Nov From Warhol, With Love A Selling Exhibition Awakening Spring: Exhibition Of Significant Works By Wu Guanzhong Sothebys Hong Kong Gallery Hall 3, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (New Wing) Sothebys Hong Kong Gallery Sothebys Hong Kong Gallery

The Eternal Spring A Selling Exhibition of Contemporary Ceramics by Caroline Cheng

IV) FOR MORE NEWS FROM SOTHEBYS Visit Follow Join Watch : http://www.sothebys.com/en/inside/services/press/overview.html : www.twitter.com/sothebys & www.weibo.com/sothebyshongkong : www.facebook.com/sothebys : www.youtube.com/sothebys

Sothebys has been uniting collectors with world-class works of art since 1744. Sothebys became the first international auction house when it expanded from London to New York (1955), the first to conduct sales in Hong Kong (1973) and France (2001), and the first international fine art auction house in China (2012). Today, Sothebys presents auctions in 8 different salesrooms, including New York, London, Hong Kong and Paris, and Sothebys BIDnow program allows visitors to view all auctions live online and place bids from anywhere in the world. Sothebys offers collectors the resources of Sothebys Financial Services, the worlds only full-service art financing company, as well as private sale opportunities in more than 70 categories, including S|2, the gallery arm of Sotheby's Contemporary Art department, and two retail businesses, Sothebys Diamonds and Sothebys Wine. Sothebys has a global network of 90 offices in 40 countries and is the oldest company listed on the New York Stock Exchange (BID).