An exhibition celebrating Chinese-French master Zao Wou-Ki, one of the greatest abstract artists in the world, is coming to Hong Kong this year. Tentatively titled ‘Zao Wou-Ki: Graphic Works’, the exhibition will showcase more than 200 works by the artist, including prints, illustrated books, paintings and more.

The showcase, set to happen at the M+ museum in December 2025, will be Asia’s first major retrospective of Zao Wou-Ki’s graphic marvels. Attendees get a chance to dive into his longstanding printmaking practice from 1949 to 2000.

Zao Wou-Ki exhibition in Hong Kong: Here’s what to expect

The exhibition has been put together by West Kowloon‘s visual arts museum M+ and the Zao Wou-ki Foundation. From December 13, art connoisseurs can witness some of his most celebrated pieces like Lecture by Henri Michaux (1950), Piazza Siena (1951) and In Honour of the Picture and of Poetry (1976). The exhibition starts on December 13 this year and will run till April 2026. Ticketing details will be out closer to the opening date.

A large part of the show features works donated to M+ by Zao’s wife and president of the Zao Wou-Ki Foundation, Françoise Marquet-Zao. There’s also a selection donated by Sin-May Roy Zao, his daughter.

For those who don’t know about Zao’s impact, his paintings can easily fetch hundreds and millions of HKD. For instance, one of his oil paintings,  29.01.64, was sold for HKD 202.6 million through Christie’s in Hong Kong in 2017.

Zao Wou-ki is hands down the most famous abstract artist of the mid-and late twentieth century. Following his love affair with Chinese painting and calligraphy, Zao graduated from the National College of Art in Hangzhou. In 1948, Zao moved to Paris, where he would live for most of his life. His works are collected in museums across Europe, North America, and Asia.

So, it’s time to immerse yourselves in Zao Wou-ki’s artistic wonders.