Bio
Zhang Xiaogang is a renowned contemporary Chinese artist, best known for his “Bloodline: Big Family” series of paintings. He was born on January 2, 1958, in Kunming, Yunnan Province, and grew up during the Cultural Revolution, a period that has deeply influenced his work.
He studied at the Sichuan Academy of Fine Arts, graduating in 1982. His early works were influenced by Western modernist movements as well as traditional Chinese art. In the late 1980s, Zhang became acquainted with surrealism and other avant-garde movements, which shaped his later style.
Zhang Xiaogang gained international acclaim in the 1990s with his “Bloodline: Big Family” series, in which he paints iconic portraits reminiscent of family photos from the Mao Zedong era. These paintings are characterized by their pale, ghostly figures with large, melancholic eyes and subtle bloodlines that symbolize family connections. The portraits reflect both personal and collective memories, addressing themes of identity, family, and cultural history.
His work has been exhibited worldwide, including at the Venice Biennale and in museums such as the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA). Zhang Xiaogang is considered one of the most important figures in the Chinese contemporary art scene, and his work continues to be influential in the modern art world.
In addition to his paintings, Zhang has also experimented with other media, such as photography and installation art. His artworks often sell for high prices at international auctions, further confirming his status as a prominent artist.