The remarkable and dramatic strength of Wenzhi Zhang’s art emanates from her own experiences as well as from her keeping in touch with social issues of concern to those most affected (including herself) by significant changes in Chinese society. Her human figures often like cartoon, exaggerated and expressionistically confrontational. With this aspect predominating one might call her works caricature. They generally represent various categories of human beings by their profession or types, such as professors, students, silly men, red guards, women’s world figures, mothers, pregnant girls, etc. While with this degree of predominating identification, one might categorize her ceramic and bronze works as cartoon because they are similar to the manga styles of expression in contemporary Japan. The comic works of Japanese artist Takashi Murakami come to mind. 
Yet the exaggeration of the human figures with enormous feet, necks and bosoms are more or less quite animal-like. In fact, the fundamental animal nature of human beings seems somewhat threatening. In a rare instance such as in the work from the “Duality Series,” “Women’s World,” and “Mother,” remain appealing.* While there are so many themes to be digested from her “Duality Series,” all seem to be consistent drawing from conditions in a renewed and vibrant China. 
Having lived through its Cultural Revolution, this productive and inspired artist says she remains scared for life and has reasons to interpret that indelible experience for the world to see. All of her works in this exhibition are made of bronze and ceramics, which is an important factor in claiming this occasion to reflect on the recent past for a people whose culture originated thousands of years ago.
I'm not sure whether one can interpret Zhang’s works as satirical or tragic and whether she is holding up human vices as follies to ridicule or scorn. but I still admire the artist. In 1977, the program sponsored by the government which called “The People to People Program”, attract about 25 American art museum directors and deans of University art departments to our counterparts in each of the major cities of China, such as Beijing, Nanking, Shanghai and Guangzhou. This was also my own first trip to China. Since then, the engaging events in China have produced a new world for the country’s contemporary art  and  there is not doubt that Wenzhi Zhang works are the proof.




* As for the past influencing the present, please see the other works:“Duality Series” and “Don’t Forget the Dragons”.