Interview with Lan Zhang

 Interview with Lan Zhang

by Joshua Y'Barbo

According to the Lan Zhang's website, 

Ancient symbols are the most important element in Lanlan Zhang's work. The artist is obsessed with ancient art, believing that the spirit of ancient man is similar to that of modern man living in a technological and material world. Primitive cave cultures and prehistoric cliff paintings and later burial cultures, including indigenous art from ancient Egypt, the Maya, Africa, Asia and elsewhere. 


You can see more of Zhange's work on her website and follow her on Instagram. 
 


Where There is You III (2022) by Lan Zhang
Oil on Canvas
MA Fine Art

Joshua Y'Barbo (JY): Tell me about your practice: What do you make work about? How to you go about making your work? What do you think about when making your work? Do you still make work?

Lan Zhang (LZ): I'm currently working on a series of pieces about the female characters surrounding single mothers. I'm mainly exploring the female situation based on my personal experiences, such as how single mums understand parenthood, how they work, and how they are relegated to the bottom of the emotional marketplace in certain cultural environments. When I was creating these works, my mind was filled with phenomena that I thought were unfair to single mothers, and I hope that when people see my works, they can feel the situation of women in such environments. I will continue to create work in the future that still uses anthropological language to explore the situation of women.

JY: How was studying and finishing your degree? What had the most impact on the work you made and make now?

LZ: I am about to graduate from Chelsea College of Art and Design with my MA this December, and I have really enjoyed my time at the school, we have had lots of workshops available to us, and we have been able to experiment with different materials in order to express our art, which has been exciting for me. My past marriage has had a very strong influence on my previous work, as my previous series mainly portrayed the story of my marriage, which was full of conflict and struggle. And now that I am a single mum, the role of a single mum has directly inspired my next work. I spend time with my son every day; his presence makes me think about the situation of women as single mums.

JY: Based on your experiences, do you have any problem-solving advice for other artists & designers?

LZ: All my inspirations come from my personal experience, marriage, or work. Artists must go through life to get inspiration and rethink, rather than staying at home in the studio, never going out to experience the complexity and beauty of the world and emphasising some unrealistic theories. 

JY: What are your immediate concerns or interests, both personally and professionally?

LZ: What I am most concerned about is how women have survived in this world throughout history and how they will survive in the future. By survival I mean their living conditions and social status.

JY: Do you have any questions for me, other artists, or anyone further afield?

In fact, if possible, I'd also like to see myself collaborating with some of the artists who do technological art, and I'd like to try my work with technology!




Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Art and Environmental Justice: How Art Can Promote a Sustainable Future

Image
 Art and Environmental Justice: How Art Can Promote a Sustainable Future By Dr Joshua Y’Barbo (7 May 2024) Earth's Day (Hurt, Sad, Upset) (2023) by Joshua Y'Barbo Colour pencil, sticker, and pen on paper. 210 mm x 297 mm. Introduction As an artist-in-residence for the TEAM LEWIS Foundation , I research important social and sustainability issues within art and culture at the  intersections of the creative and communication industries . Last month, I hosted Earth Day , which inspired me to write about how art can promote a more sustainable future.  Art has been a powerful tool for advocacy throughout history, particularly in global challenges we’ve faced over recent decades. In more recent years, art projects have become a means of promoting environmental justice.  Art has the capacity to raise awareness, to engage creativity for addressing complex problems, and may also support transformation to sustainability ( Dieleman 2017 ). However, the impact and outcome of a g...
Read more

Art Lesson for Earth Day: Using Art to Promote Environmental Justice

Image
 Art Lesson for Earth Day: Using Art to Promote Environmental Justice Created by Joshua Y'Barbo on 13 May 2024 via https://5minutelessonplan.co.uk/ As an artist for the TEAM LEWIS Foundation , I constantly research the intersection of the creative and communication industries and significant global, sustainable concerns. Last month, I explored the connections between art and Earth Day. After finishing an article highlighting art and environmental justice, I created a lesson plan for those interested in teaching how art can promote a sustainable future. Big Picture This lesson explores how art can be used to advocate for environmental justice, raise awareness about climate issues, and inspire action. Students will engage in various art forms to visually represent and tell stories about environmental challenges and solutions. Objectives • Understand the role of art in promoting environmental justice • Learn how art can raise awareness and inspire action on climate issues • Eng...
Read more

Participatory Art and Labour: Exploring Creative Collaboration and Advocacy

Image
Participatory Art and Labour: Exploring Creative Collaboration and Advocacy Dr Joshua Y'Barbo   Wash Your Memory Inflation (2023) by  Choeun Kim.  Digital Print. As an artist-in-residence for the TEAM LEWIS Foundation , I research intersections between art and communication, which involves writing about important social and sustainability issues within art and culture. Last month, we celebrated May Day , a historically significant day in the labour movement, marking the global recognition of workers' contributions and the achievements of the international labour movement. This meaningful occasion, deeply rooted in the struggle for workers' rights, serves as a fitting time to acknowledge the role of participatory, socially engaged art in advocating for workers' rights and social change. These art forms have been instrumental in engaging communities, expressing the struggles and triumphs of the working class, and highlighting social justice and inequality issues. Through...
Read more