Jinyuan Zhang/ Other Worlds

Jinyuan Zhang was born in 1998 in Shanxi Province, China, and received his Bachelor's Degree in Painting from Guizhou Normal University, China, in 2021. He is currently pursuing a Master's degree in Painting at the Albertina Academy of Fine Arts in Turin, Italy.

In the Have you figured out what to do? series, he explores the emotions that arise when we face life decisions—moments of hesitation, uncertainty about the right path, or the struggle to find the right words or means of expression. This series delves into that specific emotional state, serving as a deeper exploration of the self. Through this process, he examines the relationship between the self and the self, and between the self and the environment.

His approach is not limited to a single emotional expression. Human emotions are subtle, constantly shifting, and often difficult to define. Therefore, he constructs scenes filled with nuanced emotional tones. Within these scenes, viewers are invited to find a feeling they personally identify with and project their own labels onto the work. This is why he often re-labels his recent series, assigning new titles that better reflect his current state of being.

In the series Line-of-sight Distance, he investigates the relationship between the individual and society. To secure the basic material conditions for survival, individuals must engage with society. Yet, in seeking harmonious social relationships, people are often required to accept labels they may not agree with—labels that can be illogical, discriminatory, or marginalizing. At times, individuals may even participate in the labeling of others, imposing social identities that they deem reasonable.

Through this series, he attempts to construct a de-labeled space within his paintings. However, he acknowledges that even in such a space, viewers instinctively impose their own labels. This act of labeling is both primitive and unconscious.