Lihong Zhang was born in China and now resides in Melbourne, Australia, where she works as a full-time painter. Even at a young age, Zhang’s knack for painting was clear; her school chose her to study art at the Beijing Youth Palace. Nowadays, Zhang indulges her preference for Impressionism by visiting museums and reading about art history, and by channeling her study of it into her natural scenes. The influence of Impressionism is made manifest in Zhang’s ability to capture a calm, fleeting moment of the natural world. Her work has been said to foster a crosscultural exchange between Western and Eastern cultures, which Zhang actively creates by melding her Impressionist influences with ancient Eastern philosophy and Chinese calligraphy.
Zhang’s main inspiration comes from music, dance, and nature. She is especially fascinated with the lotus flower, which stems from a story about the lotus’s beauty, “Pond in the Moon Night,” which she read while she was still in school. The story was made real for Zhang when she and her classmates visited the lotus pond in Beijing’s Beihai Park. Living in Australia, Zhang has still managed to find the lotus in her surroundings by visiting Melbourne’s lotus garden. This recurring motif, combined with the stillness and clarity of her work, communicate the message of harmony and peace in a noisy, busy world. Zhang has exhibited all over Australia, belongs to the Victorian Artists Society, and has been published in Art Edit magazine in both 2018 and 2020. In 2022 Zhang exhibited at Agora Gallery in New York, Stefania Carrozzini Gallery in Venice, Camden Image Gallery in London, Libby Edwards Galleries in Melbourne, and Red Dot Miami in Miami.
LIHONG ZHANG ON
The Lotus Series No. 41, 2023
Oil on linen
The Lotus Series No. 39, 2023
Oil on linen
My painting practice is based on years of meticulous reproduction of the works of the Old Masters, Impressionists, and Post-Impressionist artists. This involved training under the tutelage of a local artist for a year, during which I focused exclusively on the works of Monet–namely his depictions of water lilies and gardens. My background combined with my cultural heritage as a Chinese woman have informed my art and choice of subjects. I am especially drawn to the lotus flower as a reflection of my culture and a subject for further exploration of myself. I am fascinated with the lifecycle of the flower and how it morphs through the seasons; from the seedpod to the blooming baby lotus and the fullgrown adult flower. My oil paintings are imbued with nostalgic old-charm beauty. They picture vibrantly-colored scenes that are sieved through the kaleidoscopic lens of my imagination and my eagerness to find natural beauty wherever I go.
