Simon Zhang

About My Work: Through years of exploration, I use techniques that combine ink, rice paper, and acrylic to try to develop a unique and expressive method and style. The method is called the "Paralleled Process,” which includes a three-stage process of “Two Surfaces, Selections, and Merge." The base of acrylic paint layer on the canvas and the ink patterns on rice paper are parallel prepared in a spontaneous, impulsive, and gestural manner. Then part of the ink painting is selected, torn, and shaped into the canvas to allow the ink collages and colour canvas to collide, mingle, and fuse. The dialogue between them often brings surprising beauty and drama from the accidental and magical combinations of different elements. The weight of brushstrokes, the movement of lines and shapes, the intensity of textures and colors—all these elements are carefully manipulated and controlled. Whereas to retain these painterly elements generated from emotions and keep initial vitality as much as possible while still giving the structure and complexity of the painting what it deserves, a 'Zen'-like creation process is applied to balance the subconscious and thoughts, impulse and contemplation, action, and meditation. On the other hand, my inspirations mainly draw from the experiences and observations of elements such as atmosphere, mood, movement, forms, lighting, colours and sound in nature and surrounding. The inspirations from the outside world serves as the initial stimulus to engage and channel emotions and ideas onto the canvases. By using the above approach, I try to be free, expressive, methodical and see each painting as a new starting point to explore.

Brife Bio: Simon Zhang is living and working in Toronto. He has held a number of solo exhibitions and has participated in many group shows and art fairs in Canada, Germany and China. His artworks are in private collections by patrons from Brazil, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Sweden and the USA, and have also been auctioned by Neumeister in Germany, 2011. Simon has a diploma in environmental design from the Ontario College of Art and Design and a B.A. degree in stage design from Shanghai, China, and has worked as a designer in the international architectural / interior design firms in Toronto and Hong Kong for decades. Currently, he is working as a full-time artist.