Works of the artist Zhang Xiaogang in the dialogue of traditions of Western European and Chinese painting

Abstract

This article examines the artworks of Zhang Xiaogang as a prominent representative of the modern Chinese painting, peculiarities of his mastery formed in different periods of his creative path under the dual influence of Chinese and Western painting. Transformation and evolution of painting concepts and formal artistic means, claimed in the painter’s “Bloodline-Big Family” series, demonstrate how the “own historical memory” forms new expressive forms of painting. The author compares the interaction of forms and languages in the Western and Chinese painting, as well as analyzes characteristics of the structure of brush strokes of the painter in different periods for showing the formation of the inner spiritual essence. It proves that the clash of concepts of the Western and Chinese painting generated new artistic phenomena, which represent a result of assimilation of painting concepts and “localization” of formal language. The mutual influence of two cultures lead to origination of multiple ideas of plasticity and artistic forms. China has entered the period of “non-modernism”.