E-COMMERCE tycoon Jack Ma shook the nerve of China’s art world after his oil painting “Paradise,” which he created with well-known artist Zeng Fanzhi, sold at Sotheby’s for US$5.4 million in Hong Kong on Oct. 4, the third on the top 10 lots of that night, China Daily reported. The first was Japanese painter Kusama Yayoi’s work that sold at US$7 million.

    According to Kevin Ching, CEO of Sotheby’s Asia, Ma’s painting got more than 30 bids and the final bid was 17 times its original estimated price. All the proceeds went to the Paradise International Foundation, an environmental campaign group supported by Ma and fellow entrepreneurs such as Tencent founder Ma Huateng and movie mogul Wang Zhongjun.

    The collective effort depicting the Earth on a circular canvas in blue and white won Ma the nickname of “Ma Liang” on social media after a Chinese folktale figure who can paint things into reality.

    Although it’s the first time that Ma has painted in oil, it’s not his first painting to go on sale.

    In 2013, Ma said that if the number of buyers went to his online shopping platform Taobao.com on Dec. 12, a day many online shops offer 50 percent discounts for buyers, exceeded 100,000, he would create an ink painting. The final number was nearly 400,000, according to media reports.

    Ma fulfilled his promise. His first ink painting of a cloud-like object was auctioned for 2.42 million yuan on Taobao.com on Dec. 22. He gave all the money to charity.

    A year later, he wrote a piece of calligraphy of two Chinese characters. It was sold at a charity ball for 4.68 million yuan to an entrepreneur from Zhejiang Province.

    Some artists and art critics say on social networks that the high price auctioned for billionaire Ma’s work humiliates China’s art world. Ma’s work is blamed to be “not as good as” many established artists but they’re sold better than well-known artists in auction houses just because of his influence in business.

    “Ma got lots of criticism for his works. But for an auction aimed for charity, I don’t think the price should be associated with its art value,” says Dong Guoqiang, president of the Beijing Council International Auction Company.

    Ma is not the first celebrity to paint for charities. Film star Zhao Wei, TV host Ni Ping and movie mogul Wang Zhongjun are among those who have painted for charity. (China Daily)