Zhang huan ash paintings of angels

Zhang huan family tree

The ash produced from burning incense is collected from twenty or so temples in Shanghai weekly and is brought to Huan’s studio in the Min Hang district to be sorted by color .

zhang huan ash paintings of angels

Zhang huan angel (1993)

Contemporary Photography from China, Artium of Alava, Center Museum of Contemporary Art, Spanien.

Zhang huan performance art

Having witnessed with awe the incense burning at Longhua Temple, Zhang Huan embarked upon the haunting ash paintings and sculptures that form the basis of his exhibition at Haunch of Missing: angels.
Zhang huan ash paintings of angels and stars
Zhang Huan’s ash from the temple is sorted according to color and consistency, from fine to chunky, and then dusted across the surface of the painting.