Zhang Xiangming: The Inner Vividity Hidden in The Hyperrealism
Among the artists based in China born from the 1950s to the 1970s, many of them are famous for the female portraits works in realistic style. The artist Zhang Xiangming, who is born in Shandong Province and Graduated from Shandong Normal University art department in 2003, defines his women portraits as a realist style, but actually it is shown quite clearly on the paintings the artist’s observation and refining of the inner world of these figures. In these faces and eyes, the characteristically vivid beauty of Chinese girls escapes from the classic close-up portrayals of hyperrealism which seems no easy to catch, but is presented by him on canvas with great clarity.
The series called Beijing Girls is the artist’s experiment and exploration for the beauty of oriental women. Among them some early works are portrayed with headdresses and make-ups originated from Chinese opera, which have also been added to the later works as “unreal details”, tending to display the hazy implicit nature via featured oriental elements.
Artbaiguan: We noticed that some of your works have typical marks of Hyperrealism, is this the main direction and technics of your career?
Zhang Xiangming: Yes, my works tend to be realist, like the series Basketball created in 2014, but I had to suspend it after completing the 7th piece because of some limitation unexpected.
Artbaiguan: Beijing Girls should be one of your most acclaimed series in China as well as in other countries, Could you talk with us about your intention for it?
Zhang Xiangming: Depicting female portraits is always my passion. I have never tried to paint portraits like these before 2006, but in my works I found myself partial to depict the face expression, so I gradually removed the body and focused on the closed-up faces. I named them Beijing Girls because my studio is in Beijing and all the painting models are based here.
创作《北京女孩》系列的初衷还是由于我个人的兴趣点在这里吧，我2006年之前没有画过大头女孩，后来在创作中比较偏爱对人物神态的表现，所以我在画面构图上逐渐把身体部分去了把人物面孔放大了。《北京女孩》这个名字当时也没有考虑太多，当时工作室在北京模特也都是北京的就定了个《北京女孩》作为我这一系列的名称。
Artbaiguan: It is regarded as a portrait work from the first sight, but we can find some special artistic effects in it. What is your intention for them?
Zhang Xiangming: Zhang Xiangming: Each one of my work is originated from the photo of a real person, but my aim is not just to depicting them. I reconstruct and integrate the facial features, trying to present in my paintings the inner feelings of the oriental women that I perceive, and construct my interpretation of the beauty.
Artbaiguan: We found that some of your portraits are based on images of public figures and stars, aren’t they?
Zhang Xiangming: Yes, I also choose images of celebrities as references.
Artbaiguan: Which part of your work do you think is the most painstaking one that takes you most of the time and energy?
Zhang Xiangming: For me the most challenging part is not dealing with technical details, but to be able to grasp the people’s emotions and feelings in that very moment, it is the crucial point of the whole work but also most difficult to complete.
Artbaiguan: The dimensions of this series are all huge, is it an advantage o disadvantage for your depiction?
Zhang Xiangming: It is an advantage, for sure. Because usually a painting in large size leaves to the viewers a strong visual impact and deep impression, making it more than just a painting.
Artbaiguan: What do you want the viewers see when they look at your paintings?
Zhang Xiangming: I hope they can be touched by every figure’s inner spiritual nature hidden in the eyes and under the face, not just be surprised by my painting techniques.
