Figure 1, Photograph of Zhang with one of his wall murals
On his website, Zhang Dali introduces himself as a multimedia, multifaceted artist. (Zhang) He is best known for his graffiti, sculpture, painting, and installation art. Zhang Dali was born in Harbin, China in 1963. He went on to study at the Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing and graduated with a BA in 1987. From a young age, Zhang showed signs of rebellious behavior. He protested against the Chinese government at Tienanmen Square and ended up surviving the massacre in 1989. It was at this time that he was exiled from China and fled to Italy for six years. In Europe he practiced Western art, studied art history and first discovered graffiti as a perfect medium for expressing his rebellious attitude. He returned to China with new interests in portraiture and public urban art and quickly became recognized as China’s first graffiti artist. Zhang Dali describes his work as “a means of interacting with and memorializing the temporary environment that surround me in Beijing.” (Artsy) He now works in a studio in Bejing and is recognized globally, having displayed artwork in many notorious museums and galleries.
Bibliography:
Zhang, Dali. “Home.” Zhangdaliart.com, www.zhangdaliart.com/en/index.html.
“Zhang Dali.” 11 Artworks, Bio & Shows on Artsy, Artsy, www.artsy.net/artist/zhang-dali.
