We’re thrilled to announce the Harn Museum at the University of Florida’s acquisition of Zhang Xiaoli’s Spring and Winter in the Blue Tray (2018) and Rubik’s Rock Cube (2024), featured in FQM’s 2024 March Asia Week exhibition, Literati and Rocks Amidst Verdant Bloom.
Zhang Xiaoli, Rubik’s Rock Cube 魔方石 , 2024, Ink and Gold on Clear Water Xuan Paper 纸本水墨金粉, 25 5/8 x 25 5/8 in (65 x 65 cm)
Spring and Winter in the Blue Tray is now on display in the museum’s group exhibition Kaleidoscope of Colors in Asian Art, running from April 30, 2024, to April 26, 2026. This exhibition offers a journey through the use of color in Asian art, organizing works from the 12th century BCE to the present by four thematic colors—green, blue, red, and gold examining their transcultural meanings and the connections they represent. This display highlights the power of color as an artistic language that bridges cultural boundaries and invites audiences to engage deeply with Asian art.
Zhang’s Spring and Winter in the Blue Tray exemplifies her unique take on traditional literati landscapes. Part of her Box Series, it combines intricate Gongbi painting with modern elements—revealing a Lego structure upon close inspection. This blend of classical artistry and contemporary culture reflects her commentary on how nature, once central to ancient thought, has become distant and fragmented.
Through this work, Zhang reimagines landscapes as reflections of human thought, evoking themes of memory, introspection, and the shifting relationship between people and the environment.
We invite you to explore the Kaleidoscope of Colors in Asian Art at the Harn Museum and experience Zhang Xiaoli’s innovative blend of tradition and modernity firsthand.
