Though a graduate of the Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing, Zeng’s growth as a Chinese scholar became more evident in the United States where he developed a connoisseurship in Chinese furniture and objects of a scholar’s studio. This knowledge led to a love for Chinese antiques, as reflected in his art.
Zeng has also produced landscapes and, more recently, depictions of trees that look to the literati tradition, particularly of the Ming Dynasty. Using delicate wet and dry brush techniques in lines, dots and strokes, Zeng is able to interpret the classical Chinese scholars’ fascination with rocks, intertwined old trees and roots. In his work, the traditional high culture of China becomes reinvigorated and reinterpreted for contemporary tastes.
Zeng Xiao Jun’s work can be found in the collections of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston and the Cleveland Museum of Art.
