HDM Gallery is pleased to present “Zhang Shujian – Hunting Ground”, Zhang Shujian’s first solo exhibition in Hangzhou in collaboration with C-Space. The exhibition consists of ten works from two different series.
About the exhibition
Zhang Shujian’s latest works are attempts to depict the universal character traits of the Chinese nation. Since his previous solo show, Zhang studied Chinese styling methods to expose the spiritual image of Chinese people using a traditional artistic language.
The exhibition includes two series entitled “Skin Weave” and ” Fellah “.
In the “skin weave” series, every single one of the skin’s details and imperfections are underlined and surreally exaggerated. The visible vessels and pores represent not only the apparent reality, but also the invisible inner truth.
The word “Fellah” derives from the Arabic word for peasant or agricultural laborer. The German philosopher Spengler adopted this term to describe a formerly glorious nation degenerated by their own wealth and gradually decaying. Inspired by Spengler’s concept combined with his own imagination, Zhang Shujian has created this series to highlight the sharp contrast between the past glories and the present decomposing state of a nation through a sequence of grotesque portraits of individuals.
About the artist
Born in 1987 in Hunan Province, Zhang Shujian graduated from the oil painting department of China Central Academy of Fine Arts in 2010. His work was the object of solo shows in galleries and institutions including UCCA (Beijing, China), Taikang Space (Beijing, China), Canvas International Art (Amsterdam, the Netherlands) and C-Space (Beijing, China).
