Zhang Huan – Ash Paintings &
Zhang Huan exhibit at Pace Wildenstein, photo by C-Monster.
Great Leap Forward – Canal Building, 286 x 1080 cms, incense ash (on canvas?), 2007.
Memory Door
The AGO, Toronto, also has Ash Paintings & Memory Doors on exhibit which compliment the unveiling of permanent public art by Zhang Huan at one of many new downtown Condos.
Great Leap Forward — Canal Building, is a huge piece as you can see in the picture above where the painting is being touched up by a worker. The incense ash comes from shrines, collected and delivered to studio, and is sorted into various shades of black, dependent on the type. The sticks and shards from burning are also on the surface in areas. The surface is gritty, small pebble-like bits, not smooth. The images of the paintings at the AGO are older pics/photos from the 40s, signs of military uniforms, collective work projects, and some shade of previous life. Apparent in the vast painting, Great Leap Forward, is the vastness of the project underway for canal building, and the labour available.
The Memory Door’s, are from old buildings, farm homes, from the country. Silk screen images, on what I think is paper, are overlaid and intricate carving is done.
Just beautiful, and beautiful… and complex meaning, political, critique, monumental?
