Blindspot Gallery


Zhang Wenzhi, Zheng Haozhong

Nov 28, 2023 – Jan 13, 2024
Opening: Saturday, Nov 25, 4pm – 6.30pm
Artist Talk (Mandarin): Zhang Wenzhi in conversation with Leo Li Chen,
Saturday, Nov 25, 5pm – 6pm

Bay of the Deer by Zhang Wenzhi, Ink and color pigments on paper, 199 x 119 cm (work size), 202.2 x 122 x 4.1 cm (framed size), 2023. QIUCHEN in the Studio? by Zheng Haozhong, Oil on canvas, 120 x 100 x 3 cm, 2021. Courtesy of artists and Blindspot Gallery.

The gallery is pleased to present duo solo exhibitions Zhang Wenzhi: Tiger in Mountains, Deer at Ocean and Zheng Haozhong: Melodic Variations, showcasing the recent paintings of two Mainland Chinese artists. Zhang Wenzhi (b. 1993, Dalian, China) is deeply influenced by the colonial history of the Japanese and Russian Empire in his hometown in Northeast China. The cultural history of the region dating to the early 20th century and the subsequent industrialization and modernization of the area are fundamental to Zhang’s practice. He creates ink paintings that incorporate archival materials, exploring the enduring presence of histories, overshadowed by shifts in power and urbanization, in the region’s collective cultural memory. Zheng Haozhong (b. 1985, Shandong province, China) creates portrait paintings of close friends and acquaintances, finding traces of self-expression in the depiction of other individuals. His studio acts as a working space but also a source of inspiration, often serving as a backdrop in his paintings. The window on the studio wall emphasizes the interiority of the space, analogous to his connection to the exterior world. Zheng continued to practise the saxophone during the pandemic, harnessing the performative nature of music as a tool in his artistic language. His work is imbued with an expressive and uninhibited character, reminiscent of musical improvisation. The brushstrokes channel the sentiments of his sitters, and teetering on prescribed norms, they are like dissonant notes within order. Through different approaches, the two painters share a commonality in exploring how individuals navigate through complex realities, dealing with the internal and external, the past and present, the private and public. Their works reveal a poignant self-awareness that is explored through the language of painting.

15/F, Po Chai Industrial Building
28 Wong Chuk Hang Road
Wong Chuk Hang
T (852) 2517 6238
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Tu-Sa 10.30am to 6.30pm

Set up in 2010, Blindspot Gallery is a Hong Kong-based contemporary art gallery. The gallery began with a primary focus on contemporary photography and image-based art, and has evolved to include diverse media in contemporary art. The gallery represents both emerging and established artists, mainly from Hong Kong and the region but also beyond.

Articles
Lau Hok Shing, So Wing Po, Zhang Ruyi 劉學成、蘇詠寶、張如怡 / Feature / January 19, 2021
Luke Ching Chin Wai, South Ho Siu Nam / Feature / October 24, 2019
Isaac Chong Wai / Studio / April 22, 2019
Leung Chi Wo / Feature / April 12, 2018
Angela Su / Review / September 13, 2017
Eason Tsang / Review / December 3, 2016
Angela Su / Studio / October 7, 2016

Represented artists
Chen Wei, Un Cheng, Isaac Chong Wai, Hao Jingban, South Ho Siu Nam, Jiang Pengyi, Jiang Zhi, Nadav Kander, Sarah Lai, Lam Tung Pang, Leung Chi Wo, Martin Parr, So Wing Po, Angela Su, Trevor Yeung