Huan, Zhang | 1/2, 1998 — available on Composition Gallery

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// 1/2 by Zhang Huan, created in 1998, is a striking limited edition silkscreen print that explores themes of identity, language, and cultural heritage. The artwork features a frontal portrait of the artist’s body, entirely covered in black Chinese characters painted onto his skin. These characters represent a variety of phrases, words, and symbols, creating an intricate tapestry of text that transforms his body into a living canvas. Zhang Huan often uses his own body in his works to express the intersections between personal experience and broader societal constructs. This piece reflects the weight of cultural memory, the passage of ancestral knowledge, and the complex relationship between self and society. It is an iconic example of Zhang's introspective and physically immersive approach to contemporary art.

Zhang Huan (China, 1965) is a Chinese artist known for his provocative performance art, photography, and sculpture. His early works often involved physical endurance, exploring themes of identity and spirituality. Notable pieces include '12 Square Meters' and 'To Add One Meter to an Anonymous Mountain.' Zhang's art challenges cultural norms and reflects on human existence.

Zhang Huan

1/2, 1998

Name: 1/2, 1998
SKU: 1328

Form

Limited Edition Print

Limited Edition PrintA limited edition print is one of a number of prints made at the same time from one printmaking plate. A fixed number are made and signed by the artist, indicating the printing order, using the format 1/10, meaning first of ten prints.

Medium

silkscreen

silkscreenSilkscreen is a printmaking method that uses a screen made of silk or other mesh fabric. The screen is treated with a substance that blocks ink in certain areas, allowing ink to pass through only in the desired sections. Each color in the print requires a separate screen.

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My artworks can be considered as a whole piece, through which are my outlooks on life and the world.
- Zhang Huan

Zhang Huan is a Chinese contemporary performance artist, sculptor and painter. Shortly after graduating from the China's Central Academy of Fine Art with a Master's Degree, Zhang Huan joined a small, artistic colony, which acted out performance art on the outskirts of Beijing. The type of performances Huan and his cronies put on involved masochistic, sometimes lewd motions, which got Zhang Huan in trouble with Chinese authorities. Undeterred, Zhang Huan continued to conduct performance art and eventually branched out into sculpture. His creations also focused on the body, but often featured the likeness of the Buddha. Some of Huan’s better-known sculptures include "Three Heads Six Arms," "Long Ear Ash Head" and "Sydney Buddha." Zhang Huan’s performance enactments typically have hidden messages centering on themes, such as challenging oppression, censorship and the dangers of undermining faith in communities. Huan's exhibitions have been featured in the United States, Europe and Asia. Zhang Huan was bestowed China's Robb Yearly Artist Award in 2010and France's Legion of Honor Award in 2014. (Artist website)

Artwork by Zhang Dali

What is Live Art?

Live art is a form of performance that began in the 1960s and is generally exploratory and innovative. It involves a single artist or an artist group presenting the work before a live audience. The performances can include humans, animals, and living plants, often blurring the boundaries between art and life, and encouraging interaction with the audience.

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Zhang Huan

1/2, 1998

141 x 120 cm

Language & Currency

Zhang Huan