Galerie Jane Zhang
Galerie Jane Zhang, although located in Germany, is fully focused on Chinese Contemporary Art and is determined to be a timely and unbiased channel of what's going on in the China art world.
At the beginning of 1995, Mr. Zhang Donghong quit his secure and comfortable teaching job at Jilin Art Academy to join a group of struggling artists in the area around Yuan Ming Yuan on the outskirts of Beijing. This group of artists, although living in poverty, were very rich in ideas and creativity. They discussed about freedom of expression and art of today's China when they were not painting or sculpturing.
This was the cradle of Chinese Contemporary Art as we know it. Later that year, the authority forced everyone to move away, many of the artists, became homeless and lost contact with each other. In the next 10 years, Chinese Contemporary Art rapidly gained its position and recognition worldwide. Many artists of this group, such as Mr. Fang Lijun, became very famous.
Galerie Jane Zhang is honored to exhibit a group of paintings by Mr. Zhang Donghong. Although very close personally to his contemporaries, Zhang Donghong did not follow the popular "Big Face, Bold Head, Flower, and Vulgar" style from that period. Instead, his paintings are opposite. If one sees the aforementioned popular style as direct presentation and criticism of the ugliness of today's Chinese society and the anxiety and conflict feelings faced by Chinese people in dealing with a rapidly changing value system, then, Zhang Donghong's paintings create and construct contemporary beauty and show inner peace and light.
This is largely due to his inner Buddhist belief and his firm roots in classic Chinese art and culture. "Big Face, Bold Head, Flower, and Vulgar" style is strongly influenced by western way of thinking and expression. Zhang Donghong's paintings extend and redefine the pursuit of the ideal beauty and therefore the ideal life by many generations of Chinese artists and poets.
Yet, they are complex and clearly marked with today's characteristics and influences.
VITA ZHANG DONGHONG
- 2009 Dean of Jilin Institute of Contemporary Art, Jilin Art Academy
- 1995 Lives in Beijing as Professional Artist
- 1992-1995 Taught at the Art Department of Jilin College of the Arts
- 1992 Graduated from Jilin College of the Arts
- 1967 Born in Jilin Province (population of 28 million, northeast) of China
Selected Interviews and Publications
- Artists of Today Book - Zhang Dong Hong
- CCTV (China Central Television) - Chinese Contemporary Artist Zhang Dong Hong
- Vogue
- Art Today
- Oriental Art-Master
- Art World
- Zhang Donghong Art Documentation - Today Art Museum
- American Art News
- Contemporary Art Weekly
- Asia Art News
- Gallery
- Hi Art
- Art Focus
- Contemporary Art
- Hong Art
- Collection
- Art Weekly
Solo Exhibitions
- 2009 "Spirit of Nature" Today Art Museum, Beijing China
- 2005 "Spring Water" Zi YunXun Art Gallery, Beijing China
- 2004 "Gentle Language of DongHong" Ren Gallery, Beijing China
- 2002 "China Dream" Tang Gallery, Bangkok Thailand
- 2000 Solo Show in Hakaren Art Gallery, Singapore
- 1998 Solo Show in Chunxiahanmo Gallery, Beijing China
- 1997 Solo Show in Vanali Gallery, Shanghai China
- 1996 Solo Show in Contemporary Asia Pacific Gallery, Hong Kong
Selected Group Exhibitions
- 2010 "The 25th Asia International Art Exhibition", Ulaanbaatar Mongolia
- 2010 "Art Everywhere - Contemporary Art Exhibition" Hakaren Art Gallery, Singapore
- 2009 "Transform - Contemporary Art Exhibition" ZiJinXuan Gallery, Beijing China
- 2008 "Art Classic Exhibition of China and Korea" Korea
- 2008 "Chinese Situation" Beijing China
- 2008 "China Red - 10 Artist Exhibition" Beijing China
- 2007 "What's next?" Kwai Fung Gallery, Hong Kong
- 2007 "Contemporary Art - Three Artists" - Today Art Museum, Beijing China
- 2007 "Contemporary Asia Pacific Art Exhibition" Berlin Germany
- 2007 "Generation of Song Zhuang" Beijing China
- 2007 "Kwangju Art Exhibition" Kwangju Korea
- 2007 "Art China" Vienna Austria
- 2006 "A Classic Decade" National Museum of China, Beijing China
- 2006 "Chinese in Indigenous Mode" Today Art Museum, Beijing China
- 2005 "International Contemporary Art Exhibition" Milan Italy
- 2005 "Simple Life Concept" Hakaren Art Gallery, Singapore
- 2004 "Beautiful Painting" Ziyunxuan Beijing
- 2004 "Chinese Artists" London England
- 2004 "Collected Paintings of China exhibition" Casoria Contemporary Art Museum Italy
- 2003 "Art Invitation Exhibition" Shanghai Art Museum China
- 2002 "Sensuous Oriental" Tang Gallery Bangkok Thailand
- 2002 "Contemporary Art from China" Houston U.S.A.
- 2001 "View of Spirit Art Exhibition" Beijing
- 2000 "Asian Art Show" London England
- 1999 "50 Year Anniversary of National Day Oil Painting Exhibitions" China
- 1998 "Contemporary Young Artists Exhibition" Milan Italy
- 1997 "China Contemporary Art Exhibition" Singapore
- 1996 "Mainland Artists Show" Taiwan
- 1995 "Contemporary Art Exhibition" Berlin Germany
- 1994 "China Contemporary Art Exhibition", the Netherlands
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Source / Copyright - Texts and images: Galerie Jane Zhang, Frankfurt am Main / Germany
