Zhang Ji

Born in Beijing in 1993, Zhang Ji graduated from the Maryland Institute College of Art and the School of the Art Institute of Chicago with a BFA and an MFA degree. In Zhang Ji’s work, there are often shifting compositions, bizarre shapes of light areas and lines, which usually partition and compress the human body (deformed body parts, exposed organs, peculiar exposure, worship of genitalia, and totem-like torsos). The artist prefers curved lines, diagonal or vertical, over horizontal framing. The division by brushstrokes, traces, and lines presents Zhang Ji’s version of bodies or his whole world of painting as restless and unstable. Additionally, Zhang Ji has his metaphysical understanding of the body, and most viewers find it hard to expound on his highly personal style. We can only summarize that the body is a public medium of sociality, and the package of modern civilization has shadowed the social properties of its structure. Thanks to the magic of painting, we can unravel everything and make public every unspeakable secret about the body.

1993 Born in Beijing

2017 School of Art Institute of Chicago, BFA, Advance Painting

2020 Maryland Institute College of art, MFA

Solo Exhibition

2024     Phowa：Zhang Ji  Solo Exhibition, Hive Center for Contemporary Art, Shanghai;

2023    Manas: Zhang Ji  Solo Exhibition, Long Museum, Shanghai;

2022    Dakini: Zhang Ji  Solo Exhibition, The Shophouse, Hongkong;

2021     Bardo: Zhang Ji  Solo Exhibition, West Bund Art & Design, Beijing

2020    Zhang Ji: Kundalini, Hive Center for Contemporary Art, Beijing, China

Group Exhibition

2023 Echo, UCCA Gala, Shanghai, China

Holographic Realm, Hive Center for Contemporary Art, Shanghai, China

Gesture of  Creating, Hive Center for Contemporary Art, Beijing, China

Annular Vacuum Chamber, Yuan Art Museum, Beijing, China

2022 The Disconnectied Generation, Song Museum, Beijing, China

Appeal to the Infinite Within, Hive Center for Contemporary Art, Beijing, China

Wizard, Craftsman and Time Traveler, YI ART INSTITUTE, Hefei

2021 When and only when, Aranya Art Center, China

Salon de Peinture, Almine Rech, NYC, US

I and the me, The Shophouse, Hong Kong, China

2019 Summer Fling, Hive Center for Contemporary Art, Beijing, China

2018 PROVISIONAL, COMMON PLACE GALLERY, Beijing, China

2017 We don’t like each other, Fred Lararus Gallery, Baltimore, US

2016 BFA Show, Sullivan Gallries, Chicago, US