Zhang Yunyao：Palace of Alienation
Overview
Zhang Yunyao drafts images on felt. With calmness and restraint, he captures every delicate strand of apes’ fur and the foliage of the deep forest. He has been exploring the expressive potential of felt as a creative medium since his first experiment over a decade ago. The irreversible nature of the material forces him to plan every step with precision. Technique itself is his conceptual statement.
This new series of paintings continues his exploration on the representation of body, though this time the subjects appear to be non-human. In today’s increasingly anxious society, the boundary between human and animal blurs further. Drawing inspiration from Marx’s theory of alienation, Zhang reintroduces the metaphor of the ape, inviting viewers to reconsider their own existence within this Palace of Alienation.
Contradiction runs through the entire exhibition, with the felt further obscuring our sensory experience. A sense of danger lurks beneath the seemingly peaceful nature. We find ourselves wandering with unease, yet still moving back and forth to confirm what we’ve seen.
And you, are you prepared to look into the apes’ eyes?
This new series of paintings continues his exploration on the representation of body, though this time the subjects appear to be non-human. In today’s increasingly anxious society, the boundary between human and animal blurs further. Drawing inspiration from Marx’s theory of alienation, Zhang reintroduces the metaphor of the ape, inviting viewers to reconsider their own existence within this Palace of Alienation.
Contradiction runs through the entire exhibition, with the felt further obscuring our sensory experience. A sense of danger lurks beneath the seemingly peaceful nature. We find ourselves wandering with unease, yet still moving back and forth to confirm what we’ve seen.
And you, are you prepared to look into the apes’ eyes?