Zhang Wen Chang
BORN: 1939
HOMETOWN: QIDONG, JIANGSU PROVINCE, CHINA
For decades, Zhang Wen Chang has travelled far and wide for his accumulation of sketches and styles that have been jointly exhibited both in the homeland and abroad. His works are widely adored by calligraphers, painters and collectors, and are collected by many domestic and foreign art galleries and museums.
His wonderfully executed Chinese ink paintings tend towards the subject matters of fauna and botany, often creating beautiful compositions depicting detailed renditions of Asian wildlife. For example, his work “Pink Lotus and Cat”shows both the lotus flower and leaves, which hold a great significance in China and eastern religions as the Lotus flower is regarded as a symbol of purity, enlightenment, self-regeneration and rebirth. Its characteristics are a perfect analogy for the human condition: even when its roots are in the dirtiest waters, the Lotus produces the most beautiful flower. The additional appearance of a small kitten, is yet another added element to charm and draw his viewers in. Much of his works are framed within a circular or fan-shaped border, which draws our attention to the artwork through the use of negative space.
In collaboration with renowned artist Yu Ji Gao, they had painted a successful series of large-scale works for the Great Hall of the People in China. Zhang Wen Chang is most widely renowned in his motherland, where he is regarded as a state-level fine brushwork painter who painted for the Office of the President of the People’s Republic of China. He is now an official member of the Chinese Artists Association.
His works have also been published in many major art publications, such as, “Who’s Who of Contemporary Chinese Artists”, “A Dictionary of Famous People of Modern Chinese Artists”, and “A Dictionary of Famous People in Painting and Calligraphy on Both Sides of the Taiwan Strait”.
In September 2000, he debuted his “Exquisite Collection of Zhang Wen Chang’s Paintings and Calligraphy” and later received a national “Integrity Award” in November issued by the China International Painting and Calligraphy Institute, as well as a “Special Gold Award.” from the Chinese calligraphy art treasury Editorial Board in Beijing.