Born in Sichuan Province, Zhuang Hong Yi is considered to be one of the most influential Chinese artists working today. Noted, according to his website, for its “bold color schemes and sophisticated, reoccurring, and precise floral motifs that symbolize a universal symbol of prosperity and optimism”, Zhuang’s work has achieved International recognition over the past several decades.
Career
Background in Chinese Art
In an interview with Donnalynn Patakos in Portray, the artist said: “There has not been an exact point in my life since I started to make art, as I always like[d] drawing and making things since I was a kid. But I would say that I really started to get serious with art at the age of 20 when I started to study at Sichuan Fine Arts Institute in 1982.”
Zhuang Hong Yi's European Influence
Zhuang moved to the Netherlands in 1992, enrolling in the Minerva Art Academy. “I always knew about the famous Dutch artists such as Rembrandt, Mondriaan, and Van Gogh, so I saw the Netherlands as a very good place to start my career as a professional artist.”
According to a 2016 profile in Luxuo: “Transitioning from the uniformity and technique of his past training in Sichuan Fine Arts Institute, where he focused on traditional skills such as printing techniques like wood carvings, to the new found freedom of expression he achieved in Europe presented a challenge for the artist.”
The artist stated in an interview in Design Scene: “I think the essential influences might have been impressionists such as Monet. In their own ways, they were the epitome of this romantic notion that I chase in both life and art. Impressionism left me with the concept of the importance of observation and the gravity of raw naked beauty and emotion. But there have been many artists, and many people in general, that have mattered throughout the process of getting to where I am today. Van Gogh’s post-impressionism has left its mark as much as Vermeer’s study of light and darkness. There are so many levels of influence. Bits and pieces of thousands of faces and works of art are on every canvas that I make my own. From Western to Oriental art, from historical to contemporary art, there is no one artist that I appreciate the most.”
Early Works
According to the artist: “I sold my first painting in 1986 in China to an American professor. He bought it during an exhibition that was organized by the Art Institute of Sichuan.”
Zhuang’s first showed his work in the West in 1993 at the Gallery Waalkens in Finsterwolde in The Netherlands, and he received another notable exhibition in France at Gallery Patrick Gaultier in Quimper. Popular early works include the “‘Head’ series of portraits that feature “an abstracted shape of a head on a large canvas”.
Around 2005, Zhuang began producing the flower field works for which he is most famous. As he told Portray: “My art from when I first came to Holland is very different from now. At the first stage, the flower was not represented at all in my art. Eventually, I started to use them here and there in my paintings and over the years my paintings became flowerbeds. So it is hard to say which piece was officially the first flowerbed piece. I do remember a show I did with a gallery in Belgium, during which I exhibited only flowerbeds for the first time. It was a very successful exhibition, which of course made me very happy and glad as I put a lot of effort not only in creating the flowerbeds but mostly in creating the idea of a flowerbed. At that point, I realized that I was onto something special.”
Techniques and Materials
Artistic Practices and Traditions
Again, in the artist’s own words from Portray: “When you think of it, the idea is quite simple; creating an artwork that changes color. But it was only during the last couple of years of my more [than] 30 years career as an artist during which I really discovered it. And the idea certainly did not just pop into my head. The color-changing flowerbeds gradually became what they are now throughout many years of making them. I discovered new things one step at a time and all the new discoveries piling up have led to the result you see now. Even now, I am constantly discovering new things and I always strive to make the paintings better than they are at the moment. It is a never-ending journey. The inner dialogue would be patience and discipline.”
Crafting Flowers from Rice Paper
As Zhuang told Design Scene: “The flowerbeds are made of many layers of folded rice paper. Rice paper is very vulnerable and every single kind of flower demands a different treatment. There’s different ways in folding them and coloring them until they look exactly like they’re supposed to do, like I want them to. I like to think that tending to my work is similar to tending to an actual flower garden sometimes. It takes time, patience, and care.”
Emphasis on Technique and Meditations on Color
On his website, Zhuang reveals some of the secrets of his techniques, specifically regarding the creation of his flowerbed paintings: “Zhuang Hong-yi's flowerbed compositions epitomize his passion for vibrant hues and boundless creativity. Utilizing a traditional technique originating from northern China, rice-paper flowers are printed, and then rendered sturdy through individual cutting and color application. Exhibiting remarkable patience and craftsmanship, the rice-paper flowers are meticulously folded into their characteristic tulip or lotus forms and subsequently arranged within the flowerbed one by one. In executing these elaborate procedures and employing distinctive techniques, Zhuang is ably supported by a skilled team who follow his creative vision. The completed pieces are embellished with a final layer of complex color combinations, which imbues the flowerbeds with an ever-evolving visual experience that shifts according to the viewer's perspective; this culminates in Zhuang Hong yi's worldly celebrated color-changing effect.”
Dominant Colors in His Work
Zhuang’s works utilize colors across the spectrum and frequently align colors that exist side by side on the “color wheel”. It is this gradual gradation of hue change that enables the effect of his works changing color as the observer moves around them.
According to the artist’s profile with the Laure Rathe Gallery: “Zhuang has developed his technique from working with a single uniform color to creating dual- and multiple-colored works that subtly shift from one dominant color to another as you move your body and eyes from one side of the work to the other, adding movement, contrast, and surprise to the works. Using the traditional Chinese material of rice paper, the works represent Chinese aesthetics, meditations on color, nature, and form, whilst the emphasis on technique and uniformity and the focus on his handling of material are all lessons adopted from the Sichuan College of Fine Arts, where he first studied.”
Kaiser Gallery Cologne
Artnet said of the artist’s 2022 exhibit, “In Bloom”: “Chinese artist Zhuang Hong Yi is famed for his mesmerizing, intricate “Flower Field” series of paintings. These almost psychedelic and sculptural paintings are the artist’s contemporary homage to the ancient Chinese flower painting art. Zhuang recently celebrated his 60th birthday and, to mark the occasion, Cologne’s Galerie Martina Kaiser is hosting “In Bloom”, an exhibition of the artist’s recent paintings….Zhuang’s paintings are composed of relief-like folds of paper painted in kaleidoscopic colors; the hypnotic works seem to change their hues as the viewer shifts their perspective. In this current exhibition, the artist is particularly focused on representations of cherry blossoms. In these works, Zhuang weaves twigs, branches, and blossoms into the three-dimensional structures of his paintings, while his dramatic manipulation of color seems to capture the metamorphosis of these spring blooms.”
Exhibition History
Compiled below is a list of Zhuang Hong Yi’s solo and group exhibitions, compiled from the artist’s website:
2023
HOFA Gallery | London | United Kingdom | Sequence
RedSea Gallery | Singapore | Singapore | Iridescence
2022
Leonhard Gallery | Antwerp | Belgium | Blossom of Color
Kunsthalle Messmer | Riegel am Kaiserstuhl | Germany | Rendezvous of Illusions Laura Rathe Fine Art | Texas | USA | Color Reign
Galerie LeRoyer | Toronto | Canada | Dusk until Dawn
Etienne Gallery | Oisterwijk | Netherlands | De Blossom Serie
SmithDavidson Gallery | Amsterdam | Netherlands | Energize
HOFA Gallery | London | United Kingdom ｜ Equinox
SmithDavidson Gallery | Mexico City | Mexico
Martina Kaiser Gallery | Cologne | Germany | In Bloom
Absolute Art Gallery | Knokke | Belgium | 60 Years - Celebrating A Life of Creativity
2021
Etienne Gallery | Oisterwijk | Netherlands
REDSEA Gallery | Block 9 Dempsey Road | Singapore
Erarta Musuem | Saint Petersburg | Russia | Inflorescene
HOFA Gallery | London | UK | Essence
Absolute Art Gallery | Knokke | Belgium | Flower Fields
Laura Rathe Fine Art | Dallas | USA | Kaleidoscope
Venet Haus Galerie | Ulm | Germany | Lux of Lumen
Galerie LeRoyer | Montréal | Canada | Focus
Impulse Gallery | Switzerland | Blossom
2020
Galerie LeRoyer | Montréal | Canada | REFLOURISH
HOFA Gallery | London | UK | NOVA
Laura Rathe Fine Art | Dallas | USA | Color fields
Laura Rathe Fine Art | Houston | USA | Color fields
Martina Kaiser Gallery | Cologne | Germany | Art Couples
Martina Kaiser Gallery | Cologne | Germany | Art Karlsruhe Smith Davidson Gallery | Amsterdam | Netherlands | In Bloom II Smith Davidson Gallery | Mexico City | Mexico | One Unique Masterpiece Smith Davidson Gallery | Miami | USA | In Bloom I
2019
Absolute Art Gallery | Knokke | Belgium
Galerie LeRoyer | Montréal | Canada | BLOOM
HOFA Gallery | Los Angeles | USA
Martina Kaiser Gallery | Cologne | Germany
Museum Black Tulip | Lisse | The Netherlands
Museum Pinakothek der Moderna | Munich | Germany | Charity Auction Opera Gallery | New York City | USA
Opera Gallery | Seoul | South Korea
Smudajescheck Gallery | Munich | Germany
Unit London | London | UK | EARTH
XU Gallery | Shanghai | China | East of the East
2018
Etienne Gallery | Oisterwijk | Netherlands
HOFA Gallery | London | UK
Laura Rathe Fine Art | Dallas | USA
Laura Rathe Fine Art | Houston | USA
Liquid Art System | Capri | IT
Opera Gallery | Dubai | UAE
Smith Davidson Gallery | Amsterdam | Netherlands | Summer Solo Exhibition Ulm Museum | Ulm | Germany | Zhuang Hong-yi Flowerbeds
2017
Absolute Art Gallery | Bruges | Belgium
Etienne Gallery | Oisterwijk | Netherlands
Martina Kaiser Gallery | Cologne | Germany
Redsea Gallery | Singapore | Singapore
Piermarq Gallery | Sydney | Australia
Laura Rathe Fine Art | Dallas | USA
Opera Gallery | Paris | France
Opera Gallery | Hong Kong | China
2016
Absolute Art Gallery | Knokke | Belgium
Etienne Gallery | Oisterwijk | Netherlands
Laura Rathe Fine Art | Houston | USA
Piermarq Gallery | Melbourne | Australia
Redsea Gallery | Singapore | Singapore
2015
Absolute Art Gallery | Bruges | Belgium
Galerie LeRoyer | Montréal | Canada
Martina Kaiser Gallery | Cologne | Germany
Metropolitan Gallery | Hamburg | Gemrnay
Modus Gallery | Paris | France
Redsea Gallery | Singapore | Singapore
Unit London | London | UK | RAW
Unix Gallery | New York | USA
2014
Absolute Art Gallery | Bruges | Belgium
Absolute Art Gallery | Knokke | Belgium
Beida Saikelie Museum | Beijing | China
Etienne Gallery | Oisterwijk | The Netherlands
Hua Gallery | London | UK
The House of Luxury | Londen | UK
2013
Found Museum | Beijing | China
Galeriezur Grünen Tür | Uznach | Switzerland
Gallery Leslie Smith | Amsterdam | The Netherlands | Colors of Nature Houses of Art | Marbella | Spain | The Art of Finding Art
Martina Kaiser Gallery | Cologne | Germany
M-House | Shanghai | China
Museum de Oude Wolden | Groningen | The Netherlands | Back to Groningen White Room Art System | Capri | Italy
2012
Aria Art gallery | Florence | Italy
Galerie Terminus | München | Germany.
Gallery Leslie Smith | Amsterdam | The Netherlands
2011
Gallery Roger Katwijk | Amsterdam | The Netherlands
Gallery Seasons | The Hague | The Netherlands
White Room Art System | Positano | Italy
2010
Galerie Ralph Schriever | Köln | Germany
Keszler Gallery | New York | USA
Museum Zoetermeer | Zoetermeer | The Netherlands
Robinsons Art Gallery | Knokke | Belgium
2009
C Space Gallery | BeiJing | China
Galerie Ralph Schriever | Köln | Germany
Gallery Seasons | The Hague | The Netherlands Gallery Ralph Schriever | Düsseldorf | Germany Gallery Roger Katwijk | Amsterdam | The Netherlands Houses of Art | Marbella | Spain
Keszler Gallery | New York | USA
2008
Gallery Krijger Katwijk | Amsterdam | The Netherlands Gallery Majke Hüsstege | Den Bosch | The Netherlands
2007
Groninger Museum | Groningen | The Netherlands Gallery Seasons | The Hague | The Netherlands Osage Gallery | Hong Kong | China
You Gallery | Beijing | China
2006
Gallery Majke Hüsstege | Den Bosch | The Netherlands Gallery Willem Kersboom | Amsterdam | The Netherlands
2005
Gallery ArtiCapeli | Den Bosch | The Netherlands Gallery Krijger Katwijk | Amsterdam | The Netherlands
2004
Gallery Le Besset | St.Jeure d’Anaure | France Gallery Vrij Academie | The Hague | The Netherlands
2003
Art Contemporary Century | Dordrecht | The Netherlands Gallery Arti Capelli | Den Bosch | The Netherlands Gallery Beeld & Aambeeld | Enschede | The Netherlands Gallery Krijger Katwijk | Amsterdam | The Netherlands Gallery Le Besset | St.Jeure d’Andaure | France Gallery Nanky de Vreeze | Amsterdam | The Netherlands
2002
De Boterhal | Hoorn | The Netherlands
2001
Foundation Studio ’92 | Eext | The Netherlands | Het Traject Gallery Beeld & Aambeeld | Enschede | The Netherlands Gallery Cum Laude | Mol | Belgium
OCBK | Zwolle | The Netherlands
Stedelijk Museum | Zwolle | The Netherlands
The Centre for Contemporary Art | Deventer | The Netherlands
2000
Gallery Nanky de Vreeze | Amsterdam | The Netherlands
1999
Foundation de Boer Waalkens | Finsterwolde | The Netherlands
Gallery Beeld & Aambeeld | Enschede | The Netherlands
Groninger Museum | Groningen | The Netherlands
1998
Gallery Anderwereld | Groningen | The Netherlands
1997
Gallery Anderwereld | Groningen | The Netherlands
Gallery Nanky de Vreeze | Amsterdam | The Netherlands
Gallery Patrick Gaultier | Quimper | France
Gallery Waalkens | Finsterwolde | The Netherlands
1996
Gallery Waalkens | Finsterwolde | The Netherlands
1993
Gallery Waalkens | Finsterwolde | The Netherlands
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2023
Impulse Gallery | Lucerne | Switzerland | Flowers, fruis, landscapes, and other Memories
2021
Impulse Gallery | Lucerne | Switzerland | Impulse
Smith Davidson Gallery | Miami | USA | Art Miami
Bel-Air Fine-Art| Miami | USA | Art Miami
Smith Davidson Gallery | Amsterdam | The Netherlands | PAN
Galerie Martina Kaiser | Cologne | Germany | Art Cologne
Galerie Bartoux | Paris | France | Art Must Go On
Galerie Bartoux | Honfleur | France | 20th Artistic Edition
Laura Rathe Fine Art | Texas | USA | The Little Things
2019
Art Miami | Miami | USA
Expo Chicago | Chicago | USA
Investec Art Fair | Cape Town | South Africa
PAN Amsterdam | Amsterdam | The Netherlands
Sydney Contemporary | Sydney | Australia
Museum Villa Rot | Burgrieden | Germany
2018
Art Market Hamptons | Bridgehampton | USA
Art Miami | Miami | USA
Expo Chicago | Chicago | USA
Investec Art Fair | Cape Town | South Africa
Museum Villa Rot | Burgrieden | Germany
Opera Gallery | Monaco | Monaco | The Art of Matter, New Arts of Asia PAN Amsterdam | Amsterdam | The Netherlands
Sydney Contemporary | Sydney | Australia
2017
Art Busan | Seoul | South Korea
Art Hong Kong | Hongkong | China
Art Market San Francisco | San Francisco | USA
Art on paper | New York | USA
Boca Raton | Miami | USA
Boston International Fine Art | Boston | USA
Context Art Miami | Miami | USA
Hampton Art Fair | Hampton | USA
PAN Amsterdam | Amsterdam | The Netherlands
Pulse Art Miami | Miami | USA
Sofa Chicago | Chicago | USA
2016
Art Busan | Seoul | South Korea
Art Miami | Miami | USA
Art New York | New York | USA
Art Stage | Singapore | Singapore
Art Up | Lille | France
Context Art Miami | Miami | USA
PAN Amsterdam | Amsterdam | The Netherlands
Rarity Gallery | Mykonos | Greece
2015
Armory Art | New York | USA
Art Miami | Miami | USA
Art Stage | Singapore | Singapore
Art Up | Lille | France
LXRY | Amsterdam | The Netherlands
PAN Amsterdam | Amsterdam | The Netherlands
TEFAF | Maastricht | The Netherlands
UNIX Gallery | New York | USA
Art Miami | Miami | USA
2014
Art Miami | Miami | USA
Art Monaco | Monaco | Monaco
Art 14 | London | UK
Fusion Convergence | T-Museum | Hangzhou | China PAN Amsterdam | Amsterdam | The Netherlands
Scope Miami | Miami | USA
TEFAF | Maastricht | The Netherlands
Xing Jiang Biennale | Tian Ren He Yi Art Museum | Xing Jiang | China
2013
Art Fair Chicago | Chicago | USA
Art Miami | Miami | USA
Art Palm Beach | Miami | USA
Fine Art Asia Fair | Hongkong | China
TEFAF | Maastricht | The Netherlands
Venice Biennale | Venice | Italy
2012
Art Miami | Miami | USA
Art Palm Beach | Miami | USA
PAN Amsterdam | Amsterdam | The Netherlands
TEFAF | Maastricht | The Netherlands
Zürich Art Fair | Zürich | Switzerland
2011
Art Miami | Miami | USA
Art Palm Beach | Miami | USA
2009
Art Basel Scope | Basel | Switzerland
Art Hampton’s | New York | USA
Art Hong Kong | Hong Kong | China
Yuang Gong Museum | Shanghai | China
798 | Beijing | China
2007
Guangzhou Museum | Guangzhou | China
2001
Chengdu Biennale | Chengdu | China
1999
Kunsthal Rotterdam | Rotterdam | The Netherlands
1997
Stichting de Boer Waalkens | Finsterwolde | The Netherlands
References
zhuanghongyi.com
Artist Website
designscene.net
“ART SCENE: “Interview With Artist Zhuang Hong Yi”
October 2, 2020
portraymag.com
“Interview: Zhuang Hong Yi”
Donnalynn Patakos
luxuo.com
Art Republik Profile: “Artist Zuhauf Hong Yi”
Tyen Fong
February 14, 2016
ariaartgallery.com
Artist Biography: Zhuang Hong Yi
laurarathe.com
Artist Profile: Zhuang Hong Yi
artnet.com
“Spotlight: Chinese Artist Zhuang Hong Yi’s Riotously Colorful ‘Flower Field’ Paintings Are an Ode to the “Cherry Blossom”
May 11, 2022