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Zhang Jian-Jun 張建君 (b. 1955)

Hailing from Shanghai, China, Zhang Jian-Jun (b.1955) is one of the most disciplined and gifted contemporary Asian artists of our time. Zhang graduated from Shanghai Drama Institute’s Fine Arts Department in 1978 and is today an Adjunct Professor at the Fine Arts Department of New York University.

Zhang’s art perforates the surface of East-West fusion and the idea of time, expressing his strikingly unique and profoundly perceptive musings. Exploring the essence of these topics, his art may not be instantaneously interpretable by many; however, this is also the very quality that elevates the intellectual element of his works, inviting viewer participation. Zhang demonstrates his gift in the artistic manipulation of time by re-creating the ancient scholar rock with modern materials such as silicone rubber. These ornate rocks, called Taihu Rocks, originated from Suzhou and are traditionally appreciated and prized by Chinese Literati. They are also symbolic of traditional Chinese culture and focus on the changes in aesthetics, culture and social patterns across time. Creatively, he has resurrected a fragment of history and propelled episodic moments from that distant time to this present age. These consequential works are evidently contemporary and undoubtedly unique.

Zhang has held more than 15 solo exhibitions and over 100 group exhibitions in China, the United States and other parts of Asia and Europe. His works are collected permanently in the K11 Art Foundation (Hong Kong), M+ Museum (Hong Kong), Power Station of Art (Shanghai), Brooklyn Museum (New York), Yuz Museum (Shanghai), San Francisco Asian Art Museum (California), Shanghai Art Museum, Jerry Yang Collection (California), Uli Sigg Collection, JP Morgan (Hong Kong), Guangdong Museum of Art (Guangzhou), Frederick R. Weisman Foundation of Art (California),

He was also involved in the Golden Globe Awards Party 2007 where he was commissioned to install his scholar rock sculpture, Mirage Garden #5.

Selected Solo Exhibitions

  • 2021 | Residency Programme co-presented by Royal Academy and K11 Art Foundation, presented at chiK11 art museum Shanghai, chiK11 art space Shenyang and K11 HACC Hong Kong.
  • 2017 | Between Then and Now, OCAT Xi’An, China
  • 2016 | Water • Quintessence, Pearl Lam Gallery, Shanghai, China
  • 2015 | China Chapter, Galerie Albrecht, Berlin, Germany
  • 2015 | Jade Mountain & Ink River, Christian Duvernois Gallery, New York, New York, USA
  • 2015 | 1980s: Zhang Jian-Jun’s Early Artwork (1978-1988), Yuz Museum, Shanghai, China
  • 2015 | Nature and Beyond,” Leo Gallery, Art Basel Hong Kong
  • 2015 | Water • Ink • China, Pace Prints, New York, New York, USA
  • 2014 | Nature, Art Projects International, New York, New York, USA
  • 2012 | Forms • Water • Vestiges, Pavilion of Repose Garden, Kunshan, China
  • 2011 | Water, 99 Art Center at M50, Shanghai, China
  • 2007 | Zhang Jian-Jun: Vestiges of a Process, iPreciation, Singapore
  • 2007 | Alternative Landscape, 140 sqm Gallery, Shanghai, China
  • 2007 | Mirage Garden Part 6, South Beauty Garden, Shanghai, China (in collaboration with Barbara Edelstein)
  • 2007 | Vestiges of a Process: New York, Shanghai, New Village, iPreciation, Singapore
  • 2005 | Vestiges of a Process, Asian American Art Centre, New York, USA
  • 2005 | Garden of Wishing Trees, Maiden Lane Exhibition Space, New York, USA
  • (in collaboration with Barbara Edelstein)
  • 2004 | Vestiges of a Process: Chelsea Chapter, DTW Gallery, New York, USA
  • 2003 | Mountain & River, Art Projects International Gallery, New York, New York, USA
  • 2002 | Chinese Ink Garden of Re-Creation, He Xiangning Art Museum, Shenzhen, China
  • 2002 | Vestiges of a Process: Guangzhou Chapter, Guangdong Museum of Art, Guangzhou, China
  • 2002 | China Chapter, Museum of the Shenzhen Art Institute, Shenzhen, China
  • 2001 | Art Projects International, New York, New York, USA
  • 1997 | Footprint, Gallerie Deux, Tokyo, Japan
  • 1995 | Art Projects International Gallery, New York,
  • 1994 | The Paradox of the Fish, Gallery Contempo, New York, New York, USA
  • 1989 | Nerlino Gallery, New York, New York, USA
  • 1988 | Existence, Kay Garvey Gallery, Glen Ellyn, Illinois, USA
  • 1988 | Solo Exhibition, Harvard University, Massachusetts, USA
  • 1987 | Solo Exhibition, Shanghai Art Museum, China

Selected Group Exhibitions

  • 2019 | Out of Ink: Interpretations from Chinese Contemporary Art, Pera Museum, Istanbul
  • 2019 | Beyond Scholar Gardens, 2018, Duolan Museum of Modern Art, Shanghai, China
  • 2018 | Between Human and Water, Zhu Jia Jiao Contemporary Art Museum, Shanghai, China
  • 2018 | Dialog, Zhu Qi Zhan Museum, Shanghai, China
  • 2018 | From New Shanghai School to Contemporary, Baoshan Art Museum, Shanghai, China
  • 2017 | Avant-Garde ·  Shanghai: 1979-2010 Documenta of Shanghai Contemporary Art, Ming Yuan Art Museum, Shanghai, China
  • 2016 | Under Heaven: Contemporary Art from China in the Ahmanson Collection, Ahmanson Gallery, Irvine, California, USA
  • 2016 | White Grey Black, Gallerie Canvas International Art, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
  • 2016 | Water & Ink: Tradition in the Contemporary Art, China Cultural Center in Brussels, Belgium
  • 2016 | Splotch, Sperone Westwater Gallery, New York, New York, USA
  • 2015 | View from Shanghai, Cloud Art Museum, Shanghai, China
  • 2015 | 30 Years of Contemporary Shanghai Art, Sheshan Contemporary Art Center, Shanghai, China
  • 2015 | Navigating Abstraction, Christian Duvernois Gallery, New York, New York, USA
  • 2015 | Canvas Gallery, Basel, Switzerland
  • 2014 | Nature and Beyond, Leo Gallery, Shanghai, China
  • 2014 | Pursuing Dream: Shanghai Sculpture Invitational Show, Shanghai Sculpture Space, China
  • 2014 | Contemporary Ink, Da Xiang Art Center, Taizhong, Taiwan
  • 2014 | Experimental Art, The 12th China National Art Exhibition, Today Museum, Beijing, China
  • 2014 | Sempre Natura, Christian Duvernois Gallery, New York, New York, USA
  • 2013 | Ink Art: Past as Present in Contemporary China, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, New York, USA
  • 2013 |Tutte le strade portano a Roma. 17 artisti contemporanei da SHANGHAI a Palazzo Brancaccio, Museo Nazionale D’Arte Orientale, Rome, Italy
  • 2013 |Opening, Christian Duvernois Gallery, New York, New York, USA
  • 2012 | Culture Shanghai: A Return Oriented Towards the Future, Shanghai Sculpture Space, Shanghai, China
  • 2012 | Ink Now, Special Project of The SH Contemporary Art Fair, Shanghai, China
  • 2012 | Water, Anacostia Art Museum, Smithsonian Institute, Washington DC, USA
  • 2012 | Undoing ShuiMo – Contemporary ShuiMo Exhibition, Shanghai Duolun Museum of Modern Art, Shanghai, China
  • 2011 | Celestial Abstraction, Contemporary Art Museum, Rome, Italy
  • 2011 |20 Years Retrospective Exhibition of 1991 San Diego Chinese Artistic Creation Seminar, Xian Art Museum, Xian, China
  • 2011 |Selected Asian Cultural Council Fellows: Then and Now, Alisan Fine Arts, Hong Kong
  • 2011 |ShanShui, Kunstmuseum, Lucerne, Switzerland
  • 2010 | The Seventh Shenzhen International Chinese Ink Biennale, Shenzhen, China
  • 2010 | Big Draft – Shanghai, Kunstmuseum Bern, Bern, Switzerland
  • 2009 | Ink Society,” Sunshine International Museum, Song Zhuang, Beijing, China
  • 2009 | “In-Situ: A Dialog with Space and Time,” River South Art Center, Shanghai, China
  • 2009 | Chinese Gardens for Living: Illusions to Reality, Europalia.China International Arts Festival, The Square, Brussels, Belgium
  • 2008 | Mountain & Water, Dresden Art Museum, Dresden, Germany
  • 2008 | Towards Abstraction: 1976-1985 Shanghai Contemporary Art, Zendai Museum of Modern Art, Shanghai, China
  • 2007 | Rejected Collection, Ke Center for Contemporary Arts, Shanghai, China
  • 2007 | Asia/Europa Mediation, Poznan National Museum of Art, Poznan, Poland
  • 2006 | Crossing the Atlantic, Goldsmith’s College, London, England
  • 2006 | Entry Gate: Chinese Aesthetics of Heterogeneity, 1st Envisage, Museum of Contemporary Art Shanghai, Shanghai, China
  • 2005 | Flowing River: 30 Years of Chinese Oil Painting, National Art Museum, Beijing, China
  • 2005 | 100 Years of Chinese Sculpture, Shanghai Sculpture Space, Shanghai, China
  • 2004 | The Fourth Shenzhen International Chinese Ink Biennale,” Shenzhen, China
  • 2004 | Shanghai Abstract Survey – 50 Years, Ming Yuan Art Center, Shanghai, China
  • 2003 | 10-Year Anniversary, 2003, Art Projects International Gallery, New York, USA
  • 2002 | Urban Creation, The Fourth Shanghai Biennale, Shanghai Art Museum, Shanghai, China
  • 2001 | 1st Chengdu Biennial, Chengdu, China
  • 2000 | DMZ_2000, Korean Gallery, New York, USA
  • 1999 | Wrap the World, The Kitchen, New York, New York, USA
  • 1998 | Observatoire 4 Galerie, Montreal, Quebec, Canada

For full CV and biography details, please contact the gallery at enquiry@ipreciation.com

Artwork Images

Hung Liu 劉虹 (b. 1948 – d. 2021)

Born in Changchun, China and later becoming an American citizen, Hung Liu held a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Art and Art Education from the Beijing Teacher’s College, a Graduate Degree in Mural Painting from the Central Academy of Fine Art, Beijing, and a Master of Fine Arts Degree in Visual Arts from the University of California San Diego. She was a Professor of Arts at MillsCollege in Oakland.

Over the years, Liu had staged more than 50 solo exhibitions and over 100 group exhibitions in the U.S, China and numerous other parts of Asia and Europe. She had also been the recipient of several prestigious awards like the Society for the Encouragement of Contemporary Art (SECA) Award, and the San Francisco Women’s Center Humanities Award, to name a few. Her artworks were on permanent display at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Whitney Museum of American Art, and various corporate institutions in the U.S.

Hung Liu’s art conveyed her intimate interpretations of various cultural and societal issues, drawing inspiration from turn-of-the-century photographs which she collected from China. These rare and unique remnants of an episodic time and the stories encased within them are artistically projected into meaningful oil and canvas paintings, thus encapsulating Liu’s personal impressions and reflections.

Liu’s protagonists usually centred around nameless female figures, individuals who were sold off into prostitution; with lotuses symbolising offerings surrounding their lithe, porcelain bodies. Through her paintings, she desired to bestow them ‘new lives’, being a believer in the notion that art needs ‘soul’ and ‘meaning’ to acquire timelessness. These paintings by Liu were analogous to shrines that have been dedicated to these lost women. Liu passed away in 2021.

Selected Solo Exhibitions

  • 2015 | Summoning Ghosts: The Art of Hung Liu Retrospective, Palm Springs Art Museum, CA, USA
  • 2015 | Summoning Ghosts: The Art of Hung Liu Retrospective, Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art, Kansas, MO, USA
  • 2014 | Hung Liu: Prints and Tapestries, La Salle University Art Museum, Philadelphia, PA, USA
  • 2014 | The Rat Years, 2Huntington Museum of Art, Huntington, WV, USA
  • 2013 | Questions from the Sky: New Work from Hung Liu, San Jose Museum of Art, San Jose, CA, USA
  • 2013 | Summoning Ghosts: The Art of Hung Liu Retrospective, Oakland Museum of California, Oakland, CA, USA
  • 2013 | Hung Liu: Offerings, Mills College Art Museum, Oakland, CA, USA
  • 2007 | Hung Liu: Old Road: West Wind, iPreciation, Singapore

 Selected Group Exhibitions 

  • 2014 | I’ll Show you Mine: Contemporary Artists Explore Family Portraits, Palo Alto, CA, USA
  • 2014 | Beautiful Disintegrating Obstinate Horror Drawing and Other Recent Acquisitions and Selections from the Museums’ Permanent Collection, UNM Art Museum’s Jonson Gallery, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
  • 2014 | The Intuitionists, The Drawing Center, NY, USA
  • 2014 | Radical Repetition: Albers to Warhol, from the Collections of Jordan D. Schnitzer and his Family Foundation, Whatcom Museum, Bellingham, WA, USA
  • 2014 | The Female Gaze: Selfhood and Community from the Linda Lee Alter Collection of Art by Women, Victoria H. Myhren Gallery, University of Denver School of Art and Art History, CO, USA
  • 2014 | The Other Side: Chinese and Mexican Immigration to America, USC Pacific Asia Museum, Pasadena, CA, USA

Selected Public Collections

  • 2016 | Highland Hospital, Oakland, CA, USA
  • 2008 | San Francisco International Airport, CA, USA
  • 2006 | Oakland International Airport Terminal 2, CA, USA
  • 2004 | Asian Art Museum Civic Centre, San Francisco, CA, USA
  • 2002 | Cerritos Library, CA, USA
  • 1995 | Embarcadero Center, San Francisco, CA, USA
  • 1995 | San Jose Museum of Art and the City of San Jose Collection, CA, USA
  • 1992 | Moscone Convention Center, San Francisco, CA, USA
  • 1986 | Media Center and Communications Building, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
  • 1981 | Central Academy of Fine Art, Beijing, China

For full list of exhibitions and public collections, please contact the gallery at enquiry@ipreciation.com

Images of artworks

 

Cheung Yee 張義 (b. 1936 – d. 2019)

Cheung Yee was one of the most important modern sculptors in Hong Kong. At iPreciation, his works are presented as part of our commitment to showcasing artists who bridge traditional Chinese cultural heritage with contemporary artistic expression.

About Cheung Yee

Cheung Yee 張義 (b. 1936 – d. 2019) was one of the most respected names in modern Asian art and a key figure in the development of modern sculpture in Hong Kong. Widely recognised for integrating Western sculptural techniques with traditional Chinese cultural symbols, his works create a distinctive dialogue between ancient Chinese philosophy and modern artistic expression.

Cheung Yee later became the only artist in Hong Kong to have been invited to hold three solo exhibitions at the Hong Kong Museum of Art, and his practice remains central to the history of modern sculpture in Hong Kong.

Early Life and Education

Cheung Yee was born in Guangzhou, China, in 1936 and later moved to Hong Kong, where he spent most of his life and artistic career. During his early years, he developed a strong interest in literature, philosophy, and traditional Chinese culture.

He graduated from the Fine Arts Department of Taiwan Normal University in 1958. In the late 1950s, after returning to Hong Kong, he began making sculptures and became actively involved in the city’s emerging modern art movement. In 1963, he co-founded the Circle Art Group in Hong Kong with other local artists to promote modern art.

Artistic Career and Development

Throughout his career, Cheung Yee explored the relationship between Chinese cultural heritage and contemporary sculpture. In particular, he was fascinated by the symbolism found in ancient texts, calligraphy, mythology, and archaeology.

Many of his artworks incorporate elements of traditional Chinese philosophy while maintaining a distinctly modern sculptural language. At the same time, his works often display strong textures, symbolic forms, and dynamic compositions. In 1964, he held his first solo exhibition at the City Hall Museum and Art Gallery, now the Hong Kong Museum of Art.

Cheung Yee later taught at the Chinese University of Hong Kong and influenced many younger artists in the city. After his retirement in 1998, he moved to Los Angeles, where he continued to develop his cast paper and sculptural practice.

Cast Paper Murals and Innovative Techniques

Cheung Yee became especially well known for his innovative cast paper murals, which he developed during the 1970s. These works combine sculpture, calligraphy, and painting within a single artistic form.

For example, Ode to General Pei incorporates four different scripts by the Tang dynasty calligrapher Yan Zhenqing. Through this approach, Cheung Yee transformed written language into powerful visual compositions.

These works blur the boundaries between traditional calligraphy and contemporary sculpture. In recognition of his important contributions to the arts, he was awarded the MBE in 1979.

Symbolism in Cheung Yee’s Sculptures

Cheung Yee also created numerous sculptures in bronze and wood that explore traditional Chinese symbolism. One of the most distinctive features of his work is the repeated use of tortoise-shell motifs, drawn from ancient Chinese divination practices in which cracks formed under heat were interpreted as signs and answers.

He transformed these patterns into sculptural forms that evoke both history and philosophical reflection, giving his works a strong sense of cultural memory while remaining modern in visual language.

Major Works and Artistic Exploration

Several sculptures demonstrate this symbolic language particularly well. Works such as Four Spirits and Spirit C & D are notable for their enigmatic structures and powerful visual presence.

These sculptures subtly reference elements of Chinese mythology while maintaining a contemporary abstract style. Another remarkable work, Magic Nine, features a truncated bronze column with wood-grain textures and tortoise-shell shaped apertures. Serpentine forms move across the surface of the sculpture, creating rhythm and movement while inviting deeper cultural interpretation.

Legacy of Cheung Yee

Over the course of more than three decades, Cheung Yee continuously explored new artistic directions while maintaining a strong connection to Chinese cultural heritage. Today, his sculptures and cast paper works continue to inspire collectors, scholars, and artists worldwide.

His artistic legacy demonstrates how traditional cultural ideas can be reinterpreted through modern sculptural practice, making him one of the most important sculptors in Hong Kong’s modern art history.

Education

  • 1958 | Graduated from the Fine Arts Department of Taiwan Normal University

Selected Solo Exhibitions

Selected Group Exhibitions

Awards

  • 1979 | Awarded the Member of the Order of the British Empire (Honorary)
  • 1988 | Awarded Sculptor of the Year Award, Hong Kong Artists’ Guild

Public Collections

  • Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong
  • Museum of Modern Art, Mexico City, Mexico
  • National Museum of History, Taipei, Taiwan
  • Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Taipei, Taiwan
  • Taiwan Museum of Art, Taichung, Taiwan
  • Kaohsiung Fine Arts Museum, Kaohsiung, Taiwan

Permanent Collections

  • Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, England, UK
  • Hong Kong Heritage Museum, Hong Kong
  • Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong
  • Kaohsiung Fine Arts Museum, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
  • Museum of Modern Art, Mexico City, Mexico
  • National Museum of History, Taipei, Taiwan
  • Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Taipei, Taiwan
  • Taiwan Museum of Art, Taichung, Taiwan

For the full list of exhibitions, awards and collections, please contact the gallery at enquiry@ipreciation.com.

Further Information

For further information on Cheung Yee, including institutional references and market records, please refer to the following resources:

Institutional Resources

Market and Auction Records

Images of Artworks

Ah Leon 陳景亮 (b. 1953)

About Ah leon

Ah Leon is widely recognised as one of Taiwan’s most accomplished ceramic artists. In particular, he is known for transforming clay into highly realistic forms that challenge perception. As a result, his works blur the boundary between material and illusion.

At the same time, his practice bridges traditional craftsmanship and contemporary conceptual art. Therefore, his work continues to engage audiences across cultures and contexts.

Early Life and Training

Born in 1953 in Taiwan, Ah Leon began his formal education at the National Taiwan Academy of Arts, where he graduated in 1976. He later apprenticed with master potters across Taiwan between 1978 and 1982. Through this hands-on experience, he developed a deep understanding of ceramic techniques and material processes.

In addition, he participated in an artist-in-residence programme in the United States in 1982. This exposure broadened his artistic perspective and introduced new approaches to sculpture and installation. Consequently, his work began to move beyond tradition while still retaining its technical foundation.

Artistic Practice and Concept

Ah Leon’s work is often described as trompe l’oeil, a technique that creates an illusion of reality. However, rather than using paint, he achieves this effect through clay. For instance, he replicates materials such as wood and tofu with remarkable precision. As a result, viewers often question what they are seeing.

Moreover, this contrast between appearance and material creates a unique sensory experience. While the surface suggests softness or organic texture, the object remains ceramic. Therefore, his works operate between realism and fabrication.

In many cases, this visual deception introduces an element of humour and surprise. At the same time, it encourages viewers to reconsider their assumptions about materiality and perception.

Illusion and Material Transformation

A defining feature of Ah Leon’s practice is his ability to manipulate clay into convincing imitations. For example, his ceramic “wood” structures replicate grain, texture, and age with extraordinary detail. Similarly, his tofu-like forms convey softness despite their solid composition.

Because of this transformation, his works challenge the viewer’s sense of touch and sight. In other words, what appears familiar becomes unfamiliar upon closer inspection. Consequently, the experience becomes both visual and conceptual.

Furthermore, this approach connects to broader ideas of memory and perception. As a result, his works often evoke recognition while simultaneously disrupting it.

Exhibitions and International Presence

Since the mid-1980s, Ah Leon has exhibited extensively across Asia, Europe, and the United States. His works have been shown in major institutions, including the National Palace Museum in Taipei and the Phoenix Art Museum in Arizona. In addition, exhibitions at the American Museum of Ceramic Art and other international venues have reinforced his global presence.

Notably, his large-scale installations, such as bridge-like ceramic structures, have demonstrated both technical mastery and conceptual ambition. As a result, his exhibitions often create immersive environments rather than isolated objects.

Collections and Recognition

Ah Leon’s works are held in prominent museum collections worldwide. These include the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery of the Smithsonian Institution, the Museum of Arts and Design in New York, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. In addition, his works are part of major collections in Taiwan and other regions.

Because of this institutional recognition, his work has gained both critical and historical significance. Moreover, his continued presence in exhibitions highlights his relevance within contemporary ceramic practice.

Legacy and Impact

Beyond technical skill, Ah Leon’s contribution lies in redefining the possibilities of ceramics. Instead of treating clay as a purely functional or decorative medium, he transforms it into a conceptual tool. Consequently, his work expands how ceramics are understood within contemporary art.

At the same time, his practice reflects a dialogue between tradition and innovation. While rooted in classical training, it consistently evolves through experimentation. Therefore, his work continues to influence both artists and audiences internationally.

Education

  • 1978 – 1982 | Apprenticed with Master Potters, Taiwan
  • 1976 | Graduated from Taiwan National Academy of Arts, Taiwan

Selected Solo Exhibitions

Selected Group Exhibitions

  • 2000 | Selections from the Allan Chasanoff Ceramic Collection, Mint Museum of Art, Charlotte, NC, USA
  • 2002 | Four Excellent Ceramists in Taiwan, National Museum of History, Taipei, Taiwan

Selected Public Collections

  • 2010 | American Museum Of Ceramic Art , CA, USA
  • 2010 | Taipei County Hakka Museum, Taipei, Taiwan
  • 2010 | Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, TX, USA
  • 2009 | Museum of Arts and Design, NY, USA
  • 2003 | Asian Art Museum San Francisco. CA, USA
  • 2003 | Johnson Museum of Art, NY, USA
  • 2003 | Racine Art Museum, Racine, Wisconsin, USA
  • 2002 | National Museum of History, Taipei, Taiwan
  • 2001 | Ichon Ceramics Museum, Ichon, Korea
  • 2001 | Taipei County Yingko Ceramics Museum, Taiwan

For full list of exhibitions and collections, please contact the gallery at enquiry@ipreciation.com

Images of artworks