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Shao Yuan Zhang
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Artist Zhang Shao Yuan seeks to capture the singular complexities of life through contemporary spectacles. Raised in China, Shao Yuan was sent to the countryside as a teenager where he worked in the rice fields. He expressed creativity by producing monoprints by carving on blocks of bamboo. Pursuing his newfound passion for art, he studied at the China Central Academy of Fine Arts. He immigrated to the U.S. to learn western techniques where he achieved a homogenized cross-cultural style. “My craftsmanship in each medium captures all the skills I have learned,” says Shao Yuan. His work mirrors the profound tranquility of deep self-reflection and identity as an immigrant. Shao Yuan shares his studio with several local artists in a former carriage house in Boston. He constantly indulges in camping, hiking, and traveling to seek new inspiration.
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![Studio Photo 1](https://admin.ugallery.com/webdata/Artist/31774/Studio1/large_5a.jpg)
![Studio Photo 2](https://admin.ugallery.com/webdata/Artist/31774/Studio2/large_4.jpg)
![Studio Photo 3](https://admin.ugallery.com/webdata/Artist/31774/Studio3/large_11.jpg)
Artist Statement
Embarking on my artistic journey at the age of 17 in China, my evolution as an artist has taken me from the rice fields and mine shafts as a Red Guard volunteer to explore the desolate red rock canyons of southern Utah. Initially creating monoprints inspired by my surroundings, I delved into Cultural Revolution propaganda art, portraying the unity of labor and the solitary lives of farmers. The 1980s brought about transformative changes in China under Deng Xiaoping, prompting a shift in the artistic landscape beyond propaganda. Seeking new horizons, I moved to the U.S. in pursuit of Western artistic techniques. My time in Utah, marked by periods of solitude in the wilderness, laid the foundation for my current artistic expression—a reflection of profound tranquility and self-reflection stemming from my experiences in the fields of China and as an immigrant student in the U.S. Influenced by both Eastern and Western art, my work draws inspiration from Wu Daozi's delicate ink sketches to Willem de Kooning's vibrant oils. The fusion of my technical prowess from a Chinese art background and creative flair developed through contemporary training in the U.S. defines my stylistic approach. Each painting serves as a character study of modern China, capturing poignant emotions frozen in time. My figures, imbued with independence, optimism, eagerness, hunger, and occasional naiveté, stand as portraits reflecting a complex environment. In my works, inspired by Richard Diebenkorn's rich lines and a contemporary adeptness for patterning, I delve into a deeper exploration of humanity. By converging nature and form, I invite viewers to contemplate the subjectivity of my pieces, devoid of cars, roads, or buildings. These works weave a multifarious narrative of hidden possibilities, struggles, joy, and optimism found in modern America.
Artist Background
The University of Utah
Master of Fine Arts, 1994
The University of Utah
Bachelor of Fine Arts, 1992
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