ShanghART M50 is pleased to present Zhang Ding's solo exhibition “Zhang Ding: Observation Points” from September 21st to December 1st, 2024. Seven years since human bones and skulls first appeared in Zhang's works in 2018, this exhibition presents for the first time the complete selection of his use of bones and skulls. Series include Vortex,Interstellar,Observation Points,Endless,Green Skull, andUntitled-2024. As the focal point of the exhibition, his research continually engages with the unique context and extended connotation related to interdisciplinary subjects such as anthropology, comparative literature, semiotics, future archaeology, and art history. Zhang explores an individual's existence in history and the relationship between them, further reflecting on the thinking on the spirituality of contemporary lives.
In the latest seriesInterstellar, skulls and bones are enlarged into a silver particle constellation, like the galaxy, forming new scenes and more issues. TheVortex series explores the relationship between geography and desire as it manifests itself in the Anthropocene period. The dual paintingsEndless present two viewpoints of a similar theme extracted from the Skeleton Fantasy Show by Song dynasty painter, depicting the skull illusion play of Song Dynasty Taoism and Buddhism in a contemporary way, while presenting an artistic dialogue across generations. With the evolution of different civilizations, the symbolic significance of skulls and bones has become increasingly profound.Untitled-2024 depicts a skeleton on a cross, whileObservation Points is inspired by the Thangkas of the venerable necropolis deities of Tibetan Buddhism, in which two skeletons wield bone rods and vases, showing the impermanence, emptiness, and the endless cycle of the universe.
