Zhang Yanzi: Her 24 Solar Terms

EVENT DESCRIPTION

Ora-Ora is pleased to present a solo show by acclaimed artist Zhang Yanzi, to take place at its Tai Kwun gallery in Hong Kong from 30 May to 7 July, 2024. The exhibition is titled: Her 24 Solar Terms. This captivating display invites viewers to explore of the significance of the “24 Solar Terms” in traditional Chinese culture, portrayed through the lens of a woman’s life journey.

Her 24 Solar Terms delves into the artist’s interpretation of the “24 Solar Terms” from traditional Chinese culture, paralleling the phases of a woman’s life. This lunisolar calendar system divides the year into 24 segments based on seasonal changes and agricultural practices, with each term reflecting a specific natural phenomenon or climatic condition that guides agricultural activities and marks the passage of time. In “Her 24 Solar Terms,” Zhang Yanzi uses everyday fruits and vegetables as symbols in each chapter, representing different stages of growth and transformation in a woman’s journey.

Zhang Yanzi’s latest artwork is a departure from her previous themes of “pain,” “treatment,” and “anesthesia,” seen in works like The Remedy and The Breathable. In this exhibition, she shifts her focus to reflecting on the essence of life through the lens of the “24 Solar Terms.” From the inception of “Beginning of Spring” (lìchūn) symbolizing conception, through the heat of summer (Major Heat, dàshǔ), to the serene return to winter’s stillness (Major Cold, dàhán), her work captures the recurring beauty of existence.

The exhibition will feature one singular artwork, also titled “Her 24 Solar Terms”, which encapsulates the essence of Zhang Yanzi’s artistic vision. This artwork weaves together 24 distinct yet interconnected pieces of work, creating a cohesive narrative that reflects her journey of self-discovery and artistic evolution.

Zhang Yanzi’s creative process, which she likens to piecing together a jigsaw puzzle, involves drawing from personal memories and everyday life. The artist explains, “Each of the 24 fragments is independent yet connected. I didn’t focus on the unity of style or medium, but rather on telling a continuous story.”

The exhibition promises to offer a unique visual and emotional experience, celebrating the beauty of life’s transitions through Zhang Yanzi’s meticulous and evocative artistry.

ABOUT THE ARTIST / ORGANISER

Zhang Yanzi lives and works in Beijing, where she is a professor at the Central Academy of Fine Arts (CAFA). Her work explores the frailty and resilience of the human body. An artist of range, multiplicity and invention, she has frequently investigated themes of wellness, medicine and psychological vulnerability. In so doing, she harnesses diverse materials in her quest to contemplate the essence of a human spirit encased in a fragile, mortal form.

Zhang Yanzi’s art may be seen at the National Art Museum of China, the Jiangsu Provincial Art Museum, the CAFA Art Museum, M+ and the Audemars Piguet Museum, among others. Recent museum shows include 2016’s “Essence” at Hong Kong’s Museum of Medical Sciences. In 2018, she held two six-month solo shows in the UK, one at the Museum of East Asian Art in Bath, and the other at the Surgeon’s Hall Museums in Edinburgh, Scotland. She has shown regularly with Ora-Ora at Art Basel Hong Kong as well as being the subject of several solo shows at the gallery, most recently “Where the Heart is” (2021).