Zhang Peili’s solo exhibition to open in March

“Zhang Peili: The Remaining Poetic,” a solo exhibition by contemporary artist Zhang Peili, will open at the Sea World Culture and Art Center on March 23. 

A poster of the exhibition. Photos courtesy of Sea World Culture and Arts Center

Born in Hangzhou in 1957, Zhang graduated from Zhejiang Academy of Art (now China Academy of Art) in 1984 with a degree in oil painting. His work “30 x 30,” a 180-minute video created in 1988 that shows him repeatedly smashing a mirror and gluing its pieces back together, was one of the earliest video art pieces in China. Its innovative nonlinear narrative transcended the conventional visual language of the time. Zhang is therefore widely regarded as the father of video art in China. 

“Array of Propane Tanks”

Zhang often presents everyday objects and fragments of daily life in an absurd manner, imbuing these seemingly mundane details with philosophical thoughts and critical force. In doing so, he invites viewers to reflect on the impact of technology on individuals, as well as the invisible power of social rules. 

In addition to his contributions to art, Zhang has played a vital role in art education and practice China. As a participant in the “New Space 85” exhibition and a founding member of the artist collective “Pond Society,” he experienced firsthand the boom and transformation of contemporary art in China in the late 1980s and contributed to its transformative development. 

“The Last Few Minutes of a Life”

His works have been exhibited in major exhibitions and art museums worldwide, including the Venice Biennale, the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York, and the Art Institute of Chicago, greatly enhancing the visibility of Chinese artists on the international art stage.

In 2003, he initiated new media art education in China by founding the new media art department at China Academy of Art. 

“Standard Portraits”

Featuring 17 selected multimedia works, including six new pieces, “Zhang Peili: The Remaining Poetic” offers a retrospective of the artist’s exploration of video art, installation, and new technologies over the past two decades. It also provides insight into the trajectory of video art in China. 

“The Front View of an Apartment Building”

From earlier video art works marked by detached observation, to interactive installations with artificial intelligence elements created in recent years, the exhibition traces how the artist bridges technology and the humanities, prompting the viewers to ponder: in an era where technology has become part of our daily environment rather than just tools, and life becomes increasingly standardized and routinized, where will the traces of humanity remain?

Dates: March 23-July 21

Early-bird tickets: 48 yuan per person, 78 yuan for two (SWCAC members enjoy free admission)

Venue: UCCN Gallery, L2, Sea World Culture and Arts Center, Nanshan District (南山区海上世界文化艺术中心L2联合国教科文组织展馆)

Metro: Line 2 or 12 to Sea World Station (海上世界站), Exit A, then walk around 800 meters