Christie’s Hong Kong connects Hockney and Wu Guanzhong
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Christie’s Hong Kong is presenting an exhibition, “Through the Master’s Eye. David Hockney & Wu Guanzhong”, that pairs the work of British painter David Hockney (1937-2026) and Modern Chinese master Wu Guanzhong (1919-2010).
Christian Albu of Christie’s explained the auction house believes the two artists shared concerns about blending Eastern and Western artistic traditions, and wanted to showcase this connection to a contemporary audience.
The exhibition grew from Hockney’s 1981 trip to China, documented in his book China Diary, during a period when the country was opening to international visitors. While Hockney and Wu Guanzhong never met, both artists drew inspiration from traditions outside their own cultures. Wu Guanzhong studied in France from 1947 to 1950, incorporating Western techniques into his Chinese style, and Hockney found ideas in Chinese landscape painting after reading The Principles of Chinese Painting.
Christie’s will display approximately seven works by Hockney and fifteen by Wu, borrowed from private collections. The exhibition also includes two paintings by Qing Dynasty artist Wang Hui (1632-1717) to provide historical context, as his work influenced both Hockney and Wu. The auction house scheduled the exhibition to coincide with its autumn previews, hoping to foster discussion about cross-cultural exchange in art and further research into the relationship between Eastern and Western art histories.
