Drafts at Zhang's studio Photo: Courtesy of Zhang Ying

Artist Zhang Ying Photo: Courtesy of Zhang Ying

Zhang's Heart Chakra Photo: Courtesy of Zhang Ying

Dark colors, fading boundaries and crushing force… Observers can see clear messages depicted in the works of artist Zhang Ying that can reach their inner hearts. 

"The ball-shaped bumblebee can be seen in many of my works. They look dreamy and beautiful in most cases, but they are leaning against each other, so you feel a crushing force, which is both a dangerous and valuable state," said the native Beijing artist, who says she followed her heart to use her art creations to explore something deep in her mind. 

Zhang's latest work to be exhibited at Beijing's Hongkun Museum of Fine Art is an installation called Heart Chakra. The fan-like work is made of plexiglass, motors and an iron tube that slowly rotates at 66 seconds per tick, a number that comes from the artist's heart rate when thinking of a certain "someone." She also chose to paint the fan blades with a color that falls between blue and green to the point that visitors will have a hard time determining which color it is. 

According to the artist, the installation is an extension of her paintings exploring the same theme. 

"For me, paintings are a safe and natural way to realize my ideas. But sometimes I hope to come up with some new means and ways to express myself," she said. 

After graduation from Central Academy of Fine Arts, she started to explore her own thoughts on the relationship between emotions, mind and body. Ever since her Maze series, she began piecing together clues about everyday life and began to put them into her creations. 

"I am the type of person who is not easily swayed to change my mind. Even if some collectors wanted me to change my paintings for them, I would say no," she said.  

The events of 2020 have changed everyone's lives, especially the lives of artists. For Zhang, the first two or three months of 2020 were so tough that she had to find ways to ease her anxiety, such as meditations. "After all, no one can continue art creations unless they have calmed down," she said.  

"But things are getting better. For me, it also gave me some time to reflect and become more clear on some thoughts."


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