Leo Chen Li, a curator with a deep understanding of Hong Kong’s artistic landscape, returns to the city with a thought-provoking dual exhibition at Blindspot Gallery. The show presents side-by-side solo exhibitions of two mainland Chinese painters, Zhang Wenzhi and Zheng Haozhong, whose works are stylistically distinct yet converge on themes of fragmented identity and motion.
Zhang Wenzhi, a 30-year-old artist from Dalian, incorporates Western still-life realism and the fluidity of Chinese landscape painting using ink and paper. His work reflects the tumultuous history of northeast China, a region marked by colonial ambitions. In pieces like “Bay of the Deer” (2023), Zhang juxtaposes nature’s constancy against human conflict. The artwork features a sika deer, its skin stripped away to reveal sinews, symbolizing resilience amid historical upheavals. The backdrop is a tapestry of old and new, including the railways that criss-crossed the region during late 19th-century colonization.
In “The Shark-Deer Chronicle” (2023), Zhang creatively merges a deer and a shark, suggesting a fluid traversal through time and changing identities. These works are expected to resonate with Hong Kong audiences, familiar with their own postcolonial narratives.
Chen, a graduate of Shenzhen University, began his curatorial career in Hong Kong, focusing on exhibitions and research that explored the city’s postcolonial identity. After a stint in Beijing as head of research at Magician Space gallery, Chen has become increasingly attuned to the differing paths of modernization in Hong Kong and mainland China. His mission in Beijing is to give voice to Chinese artists of his generation who seek broader recognition and engagement beyond local circles.
The other artist featured, Shanghai-based Zheng Haozhong, hails from northeast China and offers a contrasting perspective through his art. Zheng’s portraits of himself, friends, and his saxophone, painted in his studio, exude spontaneity and a sense of contemporary private life, reminiscent of the free jazz he plays. Works like “Patterns, Red, AG” (2021) depict unfinished figures and paint drips, conveying a dynamic sense of motion and change.
This exhibition at Blindspot Gallery, carefully curated by Chen, moves away from market-driven, trendy art shows. Instead, it presents a unique glimpse into the diverse and evolving landscapes of Chinese contemporary art, showcasing how personal and historical narratives intertwine and shape artistic expression.
READ MORE: