Zhejiang Art Museum (浙江美术馆) is currently hosting FQM Artist Zhang Xiaoli's solo exhibition, titled "Spectacular at the Tanhauser Gate," which will run from September 26 to October 25, 2023. This exhibition is curated by Nanshan 138's Zhejiang Youth Contemporary Art Initiative and invites four young artists to explore and expand upon the theme of "Prism (棱镜)," offering a narrative of the contemplative paths undertaken by contemporary young artists in their creative journeys.
Zhang Xiaoli, born in Guizhou, China in 1989, currently resides and works in Toronto. She holds a dual BA degree in Art History and Biology from The Chinese University of Hong Kong and an MFA from the Central Academy of Fine Arts. Zhang Xiaoli employs an interdisciplinary approach that merges classical Chinese media and subject matters with references to science and games, bringing together various perspectives from the past and present, East and West. Zhang excels in the pursuit of reconstructing different entities, creating a parallel world that seamlessly combines modern and traditional elements, as well as science and philosophy.
One of the featured works in the exhibition, titled "The Tanhauser Gate," draws inspiration from Richard Wagner's opera "Tannhäuser." This piece hovers between the realms of reality and illusion, blending poetic spirit with Eastern philosophy. Using layered shades of vermilion, cinnabar, and rouge, it skillfully outlines a fantastical world interwoven with elements from Dunhuang murals, Totems in Chu Silk Manuscripts, and anatomical structures.
As a contemporary female artist, Zhang Xiaoli's works have been exhibited worldwide. Her notable exhibitions include "The 13th National Exhibition of Fine Arts" in Beijing in 2019, "Youth Will: Beijing Youth Art Biennale" at the Today Art Museum in Beijing in 2016, "Senses" at the University Museum and Art Gallery, The University of Hong Kong, in 2015, and "Fresh Trend" at Hong Kong City Hall in 2014. In recent years, she has also held solo exhibitions in Beijing and Taiwan. In 2023, her latest creation, "Water," was showcased at the United Nations Chinese Language Day's painting and calligraphy exhibition, "The Highest Virtue Resembles Water." Notably, Zhang Xiaoli received the "Liu Kuo-sung Ink Art Award 2023," making her the first female artist among the award winners.
