Lian Zhang
#LianZhang
Born in 1984, Hangzhou, China.
Lives and works in London, UK.
Zhang’s works hint at multifaceted narratives that strain in many different directions at once, creating a current of tension that runs under an overlying sense of serenity. The past and the future are suspended, interweaving allusions to precise historical periods with timeless imagery. Zhang investigates the connections between interior and exterior worlds, constructing scenes both from personal memories and from imaginary landscapes. Through soft brushstrokes and a vivid color palette, Zhang creates delicate scenes of transformation. Filled with the energy of stasis and motion, her paintings embody a fluidity between objects and figures.
Zhang’s paintings are firmly sited within a rich art historical tradition, drawing particularly on the Surrealist and Symbolist movements. They are also inspired by the teachings of Chinese philosophy and Taoism.
Zhang’s latest works explore Asian female identity and the experience of living abroad as an immigrant, challenging preconceptions and weaving together complex painterly narratives about what it means to live across multiple cultures. In particular, her recent paintings highlight and undermine some of the ways in which Asian women are stereotyped and objectified.
2023
Oil on canvas
70 x 50 cm. / 27 ½ x 19 ¾ in.
(LZ-2309)
2023
Oil on canvas
60 x 50 cm. / 23 ½ x 19 ¾ in.
(LZ-2304)
2022
Oil on canvas
200 x 160 cm / 78.7 x 62.9 in.
Selected Exhibitions
24 November 2023 – 27 January 2024
3 November – 5 November 2023
23 June 2023 – 19 August 2023
20 – 23 April 2023
2023
Oil on canvas
180 x 130 cm. / 70 ¾ x 51 ¼ in.
(LZ-2310)