Zhang Gong 張 弓 b. 1959

1992 - 1999: Surrealist paintings

Western contemporary art and various progressive theories and ideas flooded into china in the 1990s. These conditions influenced zhang gong, who became eager to engage in dialogue with his audiences and society at large through the medium of painting. Much of this intent is concealed in the absurd yet humorous symbols of his early surrealist paintings. The cartoon-like subjects of these paintings not only convey the subtleties of the artist's inner monologues, but also express concern for the rapid transformation of chinese society, and even offer various reflections on cultural, environmental and living conditions. Bright colour tones and well-structured layouts became his signature style.

    

  

1999 - 2009: Diving into the world of animation

Zhang gong began to create animated short films in 1999, as part of his enquiry into different expressions of complex artistic concepts and how to convey these messages to a larger audience. Over the course of a decade, he created several hand-painted short films, including Trees (2003), Birds (2004), Black Pig, White Pig (2005), The Perturbation of the Mind (2006) and Miss Red (2009). Relying on his innermost emotions to deliver authentic stories of these whimsical characters, whilst reflecting upon the injustices arising from the rapid development of chinese society, zhang gong steers the viewer towards self-examination and reflection upon human values.

    

2007: Repositioning cartoon characters

2010 - 2016: Metropolis series

After his first visit to New York in 2010, Zhang Gong officially returned to painting, focusing on New York and Beijing. Urban life in New York has become a symbol of materialistic culture, its high-density and fast pace of life inducing depression and anxiety in its inhabitants. Zhang Gong felt that the history and culture of Beijing, where he was born and raised, had deteriorated in the face of extreme commercial expansion. He recorded, painted and re-imagined the city with his brush, depicting the city's densely-layered architectural landscapes and details with extraordinary delicacy and patience, interspersing his signature characters amidst complex architectural structures. The compositions and tones of this era became more concise, capturing the textures of the city in order to represent the impact of social changes and rapid urbanisation.

2017-present: The Garden of Eden series

Zhang Gong felt that the withdrawal of religious culture led to the decline of humanity and morality. In his recent works, he considers the relationship between faith and society, and explores the possible return of human beings to the Garden of Eden. The theme revolves around an authentic 'pure' land without regard to race, gender, nationality or culture, akin to the original state of the world. In addition to 'naïve' cartoon animals and plants, Zhang Gong's brush also adds key religious imagery and symbolism to compose pictures with a unique visual tension. Whimsical fables and narratives express complex social realities, expressing the doubts and uneasiness inherent to what we consider a good life, whilst reminding Zhang Gong's audience to reflect upon the relationships between contemporary society and so-called 'civilised' beliefs.

Sentimental Garden | 2018 | Acrylic on canvas | 140×344cm

Mr. Godot Will Definitely Come Tomorrow | 2017 | Acrylic on canvas | 95×110cm