Spring Poppy Fields: Exhibition of New Works by Zhang Huan Opens at Pace London

ARTDAILY

Zhang Huan in his studio. © Zhang Huan studio.

UNITED KINGDOM---Pace London presents Spring Poppy Fields, an exhibition of new works by the Chinese artist Zhang Huan from 25 April to 31 May 2014 at 6 Burlington Gardens. Zhang Huan is one of the most vital, influential and provocative contemporary artists working today. Alluding to Buddhist masks and iconography, the series is inspired by Zhang Huan’s extensive travel to Tibet, Nepal, Bhutan and India. Zhang Huan’s recurring use of skulls stems from the artist’s early exploration of performance inspired by the body and human form. Drawing inspiration from the hallucinatory effects of the poppy’s opiate properties, the use of the skull motif reflects the Tibetan beliefs of endless deaths. Despite Zhang Huan’s heavy reliance upon Tibetan Buddhism, his choice of palette is non-Tibetan and paradoxical in its symbolism. [link]