Zhang's egg-cellent adventures By Wu Liping
Publisher:China Daily - Publication Date: 28-04-2008

The pattern of the Bird's Nest is composed of more than 300 pieces of triangle-shaped colourful blocks. Thousands of potted flowers are arranged in front of the collage work, radiating an aroma of spring and vitality. Above the flowers, a giant egg, which is made of stainless steel, suspends from the ceiling and produces a mirror reflection of the whole prosperous picture in the exhibition hall.

This large-scale installation work - expressing ideas such as life, birth and waiting for the creator - leads visitors into the solo show of Zhang Nian at the Today Art Museum.

The exhibition, entitled Wait, is themed on the two brand new architectures in the city - The Bird's Nest and the Grand Egg. However, the symbols of 'nest' and 'egg' have dominated Zhang's conceptual creations for nearly 20 years.

The oil on canvas series unfolds a documentary process of the construction of the landmark architectures, while the sculptures serve as an introspection of the creator.

"The process of waiting and pregnancy of my artistic exploration over the past 20 years gains the richest expression through the 'magic meeting' between landmark architecture," Zhang says.

"I make use of the flowers to extol the great meeting, and the whole installation to salute to China of 2008."

More than 10 oil paintings on show span more three meters, addressing the magnificence of the architecture and casting a strong visual impact to viewers.

The images of the architecture are fulfilled with realistic approaches, accompanied with a surrealistic colour scheme and composition on the background of the sky and earth.

"I have employed the image of an egg as a carrier of my creation for 20 years," says Zhang. "It is a kind of extension of my inspiration instead of hasty attempt."

Zhang said he used the conceptual idea of the egg in the 1980s, at a time when every new artist tried to break away from the stereotyped form of art.

"In this process I find myself a minor individual as an egg under incubation," he says.

Zhang has paid close attention to the construction of the Grand Egg and took many photographs along with the project.

When the bold architecture finally pecks at the shell and shines under the sun, it echoes with the dream of Zhang.

In the eyes of Zhang, the transparent glass window of the Grand Egg seems like a cracked shell, releasing fresh energy and strength.

The steel structure of the Bird's Nest attracts Zhang like a labyrinth, bringing endless inspiration for him during the construction process.

In one of his works, Nest - Dream of China No 41, Zhang restores a scene he experienced in a winter evening when he occasionally passed the stadium.

A trial of lighting was underway inside the stadium, with the light effect shocking him so much that he did not hesitate to recall with his brush. The huge nest lies quietly on the focus of the tableau, shining with dark red light in the core.

The cloud in the night sky reflects to the light with hints of umber and the ground below the structure is presented in the form of fluttering fog with tones of black and grey.

Mystery and vitality are yielded under the technique of chiaroscuro.

Born in 1964 in Sichuan province, Zhang graduated from the Fine Arts Institute of Tsinghua University in 1988.

He established his fame with his behaviour art Egg-Hatching in the epoch-making China Modern Art Show held at the National Art Museum of China in 1989.

The artists of Zhang's age, born in the 1960s, bear unique features of their own. Ahead of them were the realistic styles of the 1950s artists and behind them the conceptual generation of the 1970s.

The 1960s group is not as heavy-hearted as their predecessors and not freely unconstrained as their followers.

They are a generation of introspection and innovation.

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