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YAN  ZHANG 

Artist's Statement

I create paintings using traditional materials, ink, and brush on rice paper. These paintings are meticulously rendered, elaborately staged, and illustrative works. I use dramatic and expressive poses along with symbolism as a vehicle for my personal narratives.

My paintings are inspired by Surrealism. However, unlike the Surrealists, my works are more consciously and deliberately composed. The figure in my paintings works as a universal symbol to illustrate an array of human emotions. It is about struggling and anxiety, but also about resistance and resilience. My works aim to explore something of the transience and vulnerability of human beings, as well as the surreal nature of the world around us.

My recent works combine figuration and abstraction, aiming to  balance freedom of creative process with carefully crafted an image.

I would like my paintings to be a free space where the viewers can make their own connections and form their own interpretations.

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