Artist Profiles

Zhang Hongtu

Zhang Hongtu was born in 1943 in the Gansu province of China. His family was Muslim and his father was a leading scholar of Arabic, who was denounced as a rightist by the Chinese government in 1957. As a result, Zhang was unable to join the Red Guards. Instead, Zhang studied at the Central Academy of Arts and Crafts in Beijing, where he received his BA in 1969. In 1982, he left China and settled in New York to pursue a career as an artist, studying at the Arts Student League in New York from 1982-1986. Zhang's work underwent a significant transformation after he arrived in the United States, and he began to explore various genres that had been denounced by Chinese authorities. He is best known for his pieces known generally as Material Mao - a body of work that features various representations/manipulations of portraits of Chairman Mao Zedong. Zhang has held various solo and group exhibitions in New York, Chicago, Montreal, Hong Kong, Cuba, and Germany. He currently live! s and works in New York.

Other Works By This Artist [ click to view larger images ]