Huaqi Zeng

Contemporary Art Practice - MA

School of Art

veakizeng2020@gmail.com

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I just did my nails today (2021) oil painting on canvas

Bio

Education Background

2020-2021 The University of Edinburgh - MA - Contemporary Art Practice

2016-2020 Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics - BA - Painting

Exhibition Experience

2021 - Shenzhen G&G experimental solo show ‘ Sticky’

2021 - Sora zine Tokyo Exhibition

2019 - Shenzhen Illustration Biennale

2019 - Beijing Huaxi Affordable Art Week with Times Art Museum

2019 - Plakat Retinakollaps：Exhibition with Katrin Leitner, Walter Peter in Switzerland

2018 - The 4th Beihang University Outstanding Extracurricular Works Exhibition

Artist Statement

I got inspiration from my daily life, and my painting capture sensual, vividly and colourful parts. Especially, the images of Chinese contemporary young girls, enjoying their lives in big cities by covering their sensitive emotions under those fancy clothes and parties. The influence of western pop music on their romantic fantasy and the concept of being successful independent girls is significant.

I found it hard to find out special points in city culture in a brand new city, like my hometown Shenzhen. The similarities of new cities have blurred regional characteristics. Commons and mergers in culture have shown harsh conflicts between Chinese heavy traditions and pop cultures. And I am curious how the Chinese young city culture will be in the future.

Painting keeps my feelings strong, fresh and staying lasting. Currently, I paint on wood which offers a smoother surface than canvas. Therefore, brush marks are more visible. A lot of quick brush marks appeared in my works, they represent instant and unpredictable changes of time and emotion. I also like to use bright light colours, they help me creating a fantasy-like tune and emphasizing dramatic moments in daily life.

Colleagues in Pink

The inspiration for Colleagues in Pink came from my father. He likes to use photography to record life, and the two in the painting are his colleagues. By coincidence, they wore similar pink T-shirts to the meeting. Their fashion taste represented the special and funny aesthetics of contemporary Chinese middle-aged men. What makes me find it interesting is that they are all work for the serious Chinese government, but we can still see their personal charm outside of their political identities. And this shows us a different side of China.

Halo ( oil paintings and photography)

Now we are (2021) oil painting on woods

Party（2020） oil painting on wood 40*80cm

Take a look (2021) Oil painting on canvas 150*100cm

Performance dancing in the womb ( part of the exhibition of 'Sticky')

I hope that the alienation between works can be eliminated in this exhibition, and it will give the audience a warm and sticky experience. Because the gap between the paintings or installations and the cold walls in many galleries or exhibitions gives me a well-designed sense of distance.

I surrounded the wall with light pink pearlescent cloth, which changed the smooth, monochromatic wall of the gallery in the past. The lights are hidden behind the cloth, making the light soft and ambiguous, the atmosphere of the entire exhibition becomes hot and romantic.

On the other hand, The performance represented how some people choose to use their fantasy to protect themselves from the cruel reality. Those womb-like fabric walls provide a soft, sensitive, protective space for people to enjoy their fantasies and release the pressure of life.