ZHANG HUAN 張洹 (Anyang, China, b. 1965)Untitled (Donkeys)2006Charcoal on paper, framed and glazedSigned to lower right119cm high, 80cm wide張洹 無題 （驢子）2006年作木炭畫紙 鏡框款識：作家簽名於右下方-PROVENANCE:Chiswick Auctions, 29 September 2020, Lot 89;English Private Collection來源：齊仕閣，2020年9月29日，拍品編號89；私人英國收藏-This work relates to Zhang Huan’s 'donkey' period. His 2004 work Window comprised of nine photographs taken of the artist crouched beside a donkey in often startling positions and in a state of undress. His 2005 work Donkey presents a taxidermy sculpture of a donkey mounting a model of the famous Jin Mao tower in Shanghai in what might be considered a romantic encounter. The work has been read as a complex allegory of Chinese ambition. This ink study, painted after the original work had been completed, demonstrates the potential of ink, through the duplicated forms in monochrome with shadows indicative of movement, to give a graphic voice to Zhang’s vision.Zhang Huan is a contemporary Chinese artist known for his innovative and provocative works that explore the relationship between tradition and modernity, individual and society, and the physical and spiritual realms. Born in 1965 in Anyang, a small city in Henan Province, China, Zhang Huan grew up during the Cultural Revolution, a period of social and political upheaval that deeply influenced his artistic practice.After graduating from Henan University in 1988 with a degree in oil painting, Zhang Huan moved to Beijing, where he became part of the avant-garde art scene. In the early 1990s, he gained international recognition for his performances, which often involved extreme acts of endurance and self-mutilation, and challenged conventional notions of the body and its relationship to society and culture. One of his most well-known performances, "12 Square Meters" (1994), involved him sitting naked in a public toilet covered in fish oil and honey while being swarmed by flies. In another performance, "My New York" (2002), Zhang Huan had his body covered in honey and then covered in feathers while lying on a New York street.In the late 1990s, Zhang Huan began to shift his focus to sculpture and installation art, using materials such as incense ash, copper, and animal hides to create large-scale works that evoked traditional Chinese culture and spirituality. One of his most famous sculptures, "My Homeland" (1996-97), is a giant head made of incense ash and soil that weighs over three tons and symbolizes the fragility and impermanence of life. Another notable work, "Family Tree" (2001), consists of a large tree made of human skin that was collected from a tattoo parlor and symbolizes the complex relationships between individuals, families, and society.In recent years, Zhang Huan has continued to explore themes of identity, memory, and spirituality through a variety of media, including painting, photography, and video. His work has been exhibited in major museums and galleries around the world, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the National Museum of China in Beijing, and the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao.Despite his success and international acclaim, Zhang Huan remains deeply connected to his roots in rural China and is actively involved in promoting cultural and environmental conservation in his home province of Henan. In 2013, he founded the Zhang Huan Studio in Shanghai, which serves as a platform for artistic experimentation and cultural exchange between China and the rest of the world.-