Beijing, China
Zhou Jinhua is well known for his signature birds-eye view paintings - employing this interesting perspective from his art college years - and has since been exploring and expanding his artistic practice with this view, forming an immediately recognizable yet ever-changing artistic style. Often with works, the proportion of his subjects - ordinary nameless citizens and quotidian objects and scenery are exaggerated and distorted, contrasting with his realistic and occasionally hyper-realistic depictions of the subject, forming intriguing imagery. Each painting is a micro-society is its own; ripe with symbolism which in turn provokes the story behind each scene.
To explain his intention, he comments, “For me, the seemingly harmonious, peaceful stages of life, form a common backdrop of our human experience, and create the life we live; it is a field of clearly defined objects, as well as a social space of competition and negotiation. The birds-eye perspective denotes a distance between the individual and the masses, blurring the boundary of ordinary scenarios. Thus, the normal logic of life is questioned, and an inkling of absurdity is revealed.”
Born in 1978 in Sichuan Province, Zhou has a degree from the highly regarded Sichuan Fine Arts Institute, one of China’s top art schools and alma mater of many art stars such as Zhang Xiaogang. Exihibiting from 2003, some highlights are solo shows at the Gwangju Art Fair, South Korea (2016); Nou Gallery, TaiPei (2013); Schoeni Gallery, Hong Kong (2011); Neuffer Am Park Museum, Germany (2010); several group exhibitions at ART LABOR; Times Art Museum, Beijing (2016); Museum of Contemporary Art, Beijing (2013); “Latitude/Attitude: Twenty years of Schoeni Art Gallery”, Hong Kong (2012); White Rabbit Gallery, Sydney (2010), Yuz Museum Jakarta, Indonesia (2009).
His work is in several important collections including: Guangdong Art Museum, China White Rabbit Collection, (Sydney), Yuz Museum (Indonesia), University of Mannheim (Germany). He currently lives and works in Beijing.
1978 in Deyang, Sichuan Province, China
2002
BFA, Oil Painting Department, Sichuan Academy of Fine Arts, China
2022
Wander in the Wild, Wild Workshop, Suzhou
2021
The Hope and The Harvest, ART LABOR Gallery, Shanghai
2020
Fables of Society, Xiangshan Art Museum, Shenzhen
2018
Remains of the Day, ART LABOR Gallery, Shanghai
2013
Zhou Jinhua, HKCEC, Hong Kong
Dreamy Reality, Nou Gallery, TaiPei
2011
Desting, Schoeni Gallery, Hong Kong
Zhou Jinhua, Neuffer Am Park Museum, Germany
Real Absurdity, TaiPei
2009
The Adjustment of Controversies, Gallery Beijing Space, Beijing
Everything Looks Good, Before It Happens, Konstanz Museum, Germany
2008
Constancy • Inconstancy, Gallery Beijing Space, Beijing
2007
The Observer, Schoeni Gallery, Hong Kong
2005
Us, Schoeni Gallery, Hong Kong
2024
Shanghai Calling, ART LABOR Gallery, Shanghai, China
2023
Worlds on Paper II, ART LABOR Gallery, Shanghai
“Urban Village Tangram” The 9th Bi-city Biennale of Urbanism / Architecture, Nantou Ancient Town, Shenzhen
Lianzhou Foto 2023, Lianzhou, Guangdong
2022
First Light, ART LABOR Gallery, Shanghai
2020
Worlds on Paper, ART LABOR Gallery, Shanghai
2019
Summer Wave, ART LABOR Gallery, Shanghai
2018
Paint the Web Pink, ART LABOR Gallery, Shanghai
2017
Ten Years of Love, ART LABOR Gallery, Shanghai
2016
Fireflowers, ART LABOR Gallery, Shanghai
Another Vision-Research Exhibition on the Visual Language of Oil Painting, Times Art Museum, Beijing
2015
Squares and Circles in May, Lucie Chang Fine Arts & Fringe, Club, Hongkang
Bright Night, Duge courtyard, Beijing
2014
Synaesthesia Talented Young Artists Exhibition, Soka Art Center, Beijing
2013
Excitation Variable- The new narrative spirit painting exhibition, Museum of Contemporary Art, Beijing
2012
World event young artists 2012, Nottingham, UK
Latitude/Attitude: Twenty years of Schoeni Art Gallery, Hong Kong
2011
Nostalgiaandmet Touring Exhibition, Nangjing, Hangzhou, Chengdu, Chongqing
Ramble, F2 Gallery, Beijing
2010
China Welcomes you, Oldenburger Stadtmuseum, Germany
Quote out the Context, T Art Center, Beijing
2009
Lovely Blossoms and Full Moon ,Yuz Museum Jakarta, Indonesia
2008
Chinese Fantasies: Found Museum Opening Exhibition, Found Museum, Beijing
Anything is Possible, Chinese artists exhibition, Luxembourg
2007
Your View My Story - Chinese young artists exhibition, Berlin, Germany
Start from Southwest-Southwest Contemporary Art Exhibition 1985-2007, Guangdong Art Museum, Guangzhou
Sovereign Asian Art Prize, Hong Kong
Bitter Sweet Generation, Chinese young artists exhibition ,Museum of Mannheim, Germany
Look Up, Look Down, Beijing, Gallery Beijing Space, Beijing
2006
Sixth exhibition of new China oil paintings, Denmark Culture Center, Beijing
Shanghai Art Expo Young Artists Exhibition”, Shanghai
Art Beijing, Beijing
2003
First annual national academy excellence oil painting exhibition, He Xiangning Art Museum, Shenzhen
2024
ART LABOR Gallery, Shanghai
Guangdong Art Museum, China
White Rabbit Collection, Sydney, Australia
Yuz Museum, Indonesia
University of Mannheim, Germany