ZHANG HUAN is best known for his controversial early performance art in Beijing that addressed the relationship between physical endurance and spiritual tranquility. In 1998, Asia Society invited him to New York to participate in the exhibition Inside Out: New Chinese Art, and he decided to stay.
He soon established himself as a well-recognized figure in the international contemporary art world, staging performances in several cities around the globe. In 2006, Zhang Huan set up a studio in Shanghai and started a new phase in his career. Turning to sculpture, painting, and installation art, he has renewed his commitment to
Chinese heritage and history.

This exhibition is the first ever retrospective of the artist’s works. Divided into three sections, based on the artist’s places of residence, the exhibition traces the evolution of Zhang Huan’s artistic practice and career to examine his personal, cultural, and artistic negotiations in the international art world. It presents the experience of a singular artistic voice across diverse cultural domains—a voice that speaks from a unique vantage point in the contemporary art world.

View portfolios: Beijing | New York | Shanghai