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“Ash-Scape: A Solo Exhibition by Zhang Huan(張洹)” takes place on April 14 at Gallery 100 Taipei. In his early years as a conceptual performance artist, Zhang Huan believed that the meaning of existence was to be found in the way the human body interacted with the physical word, and he searched for a foundation on which to carry his spiritual strength. After spending seven years in the US, Zhang returned to China and not long after discovered incense ash as his unique artistic practice, an exquisite semiotic language infused with his own signature style.

The title of this exhibition “Ash-Scape” alludes to a literary story that dates back to the Yuan dynasty (1271-1368 A.D.). It is said that one day after finishing a sumptuous meal of wine and food Qian Xuan, a master painter of birds and flowers as renowned as Zhao Meng Fu, collected together all the leftovers and fish bones and used them to create a freehand horizontal Chinese literate scroll painting on the table. In this context, “ash” refers to something that would never be used to paint, but that through the eye of the artist is transformed into alternative art expression, rich in appeal and interest.

For Zhang Huan “incense ash” refers to what is left after burning incense sticks. However, when looking at this ash what Zhang sees is its hidden strength. It is this that led to his decision to embrace “incense ash” as an artistic medium and to experiment with its expressive power. For the artist ash art is an article of faith that dovetails with “the wishes of people praying to the God/Buddha.” Given the deep and lasting influence of Buddhism on eastern civilization, incense ash is imbued with the hopes and dreams of people in the past for the future and the unknown. As such, whether it is an image in a painting or a sculptured character, incense ash infuses a piece with “spirituality” and in so doing reawakens in viewers a deep respect for historical memory.

In addition, the fact that the inorganic ash itself easily scatters and collapses means that hidden within it is an allusion to time, namely what viewers perceive in the real world has a limited lifespan and becomes a part of history eventually. This exhibition showcases important changes in Zhang Huan’s ash work. His painting style has recently transitioned from photorealism to a new approach that is informed by Chinese literati work, as well as sculpture and installation pieces.

About the Exhibition

Dates: 14 Apr – 27 May 2012, 11:00am – 7:00pm / Closed on Monday

Location: Gallery 100