11 SPECIAL ISSUE to visit https://www.instagram.com/da nevart in order to get a wide idea about your artistic production, and we would start this interview with a couple of questions about your multifaceted background. You have a solid formal training and you hold a BA in Illustration and Graphics, that you received from the Coventry University: how did those formative years influence your evolution as an artist? In particular, how does your cultural substratum direct the trajectory of your current artistic research? Hello and thank you! I’m so delighted to be a part of your publication. Before enrolling to Coventry University, I had hardly any artistic knowledge and professional skills. All I had was my love for drawing and passion for everything creative, which led to my decision to do a Foundation course in Art and Design. I didn’t believe that I would even get accepted since I did not have enough previous training but I was lucky to receive help and guidance for my portfolio from Plamen Monev-one of the greatest Bulgarian artists, who unfortunately passed away. I could never thank him enough for his support and faith in me. After a very successful Foundation year, I proceeded to get my BA in Illustration and Graphics with Professional Enhancement. If I had to define the Illustration and Graphics course by using two words, they would be diverse and experimental. I learned to be very flexible as a creative, I was encouraged to explore a variety of techniques, materials and ways to convey my visual ideas. I always strive to give Tsvetina Daneva eries Contemporary Art Peripheral agazine
13 SPECIAL ISSUE Tsvetina Daneva eries agazine Contemporary Art Peripheral unexpected solutions to creative problems, make pieces that are somehow curious and engaging. The international experience was highly beneficial for my professional development but I still find myself going back to and getting inspired by my favorite narratives from back home. For this special edition of Peripheral ARTeries we have selected Fairy Tales vs Global Issues, an interesting series that our readers have already started to get to know in the introductory pages of this article. Marked out with unique visual identity, your artworks display such a rigorous sense of geometry and symmetry to create coherent combination between sense of freedom and unique aesthetics. New York City based artist Lydia Dona once stated that in order to make art today one has to reevaluate the conceptual language behind the mechanism of art making itself: do you create your works gesturally, instinctively? Or do you methodically transpose geometric schemes? In particular, how importance does spontaneity play in your daily routine? I would say it is a mixture of both, but spontaneity plays a great role. More often than not, I will have a visual idea in my head that will completely transform in the process of working on it. And to me this is the beauty of creating. I always know that the final piece will be much different to the original idea and this makes its development even more exciting. We daresay that your artistic practice seems to aim to look inside of what appear to be seen, rather than its surface.
SPECIAL ISSUE 16 agazine Special Edition Contemporary Art Peripheral eries Austrian historian Ernst Gombrich once remarked the importance of providing a space for the audience to project onto, so that they can actively participate in the creation of the illusion: how important is for you to trigger the viewer's imagination in order to address them to elaborate personal associations? In particular, how open would you like your works to be understood? I have always wanted for my artworks to really engage the auidence and trigger their imagination.With the development of my series Fairy Tales vs Global Issues, my aim was to present a variety of issues through the lens of fairy tales and manage to spark a conversation that concerns people of all ages. The experimental and multilayered nature of the pieces encourages the viewers to take a closer look and really explore each layer in depth. I feel that our duty as creatives is to presentt works that show a different perspective and make you look twice. We have really appreciated the vibrancy of thoughtful nuances that mark out your artworks, and we like the way they create tension and dynamics: how did you come about settling on your color palette? And how does your own psychological makeup determine the nuances of tones that you decide to include in a specific artwork and in particular, how do you develop your textures. Since I am at my happiest when creating, I used to reflect on that by using light and vibrant colors. My perspective of art and design has changed a lot through the years but the excitement of creating has always stayed the same or
eries Contemporary Art Peripheral Tsvetina Daneva agazine 17 SPECIAL ISSUE maybe even gotten bigger. Although I still enjoy vibrant colours sometimes, my most recent works are very much deprived of colour and concentrate on the use of textures and graphic patterns. I have loved exploring wood textures as well as mixing traditional and digital tools to create my most recent illustrations and designs. You are a versatile artist, and you have had the chance to explore the art of cutting through a variety of processes such as paper cutting, digital cut out effects and laser cutting. As you have remarked in your artist's statement, what fascinates you the most about the art of cutting is the fact that it does not limit itself to any material: how do you consider the role of digital technology playing within your artistic process? As the use of digital technology seems to be more and more inevitable nowadays, I also tend to use digital tools more often. I see them as a way to perfect some of my pieces, edit or give them finishing touches. I actually only recently did my very first series of illustrations, which were entirely digital. Illustrating and designing using digital tools is a skill that is required in this day and age but I always love going back to experimenting with materials. Mexican artist Gabriel Orozco once stated, "artists's role differs depending on which part of the world they’re in": do you think that artists can raise awareness to an evergrowing audience on topical issues in our globalised age? In particular, does your artistic research respond to a particular cultural moment?
SPECIAL ISSUE 18 I feel that many artists manage to raise awareness on topical issues. I am absolutely amazed by the value and ideas behind some of the pieces we see around the world and I am hoping I would be able to achieve such impact one day. I wouldn’t say that my artistic research responds to a particular cultural moment. I see it as a mixture. I am very much inspired by artists from different cultural moments, but I do not feel that my artworks necessarily correspond to them or maybe not just yet. I think that I am still in a process of development and exploration. Marked out with primarily figurative qualities, your artworks feature such effective combination between reminders to reality and captivating abstract feeling, whose background create such an oniric atmosphere: how would you consider the tension between abstraction and figurative in your practice? In particular, how does representation and a tendency towards abstraction find their balance in your work? I have always been greatly influenced and attracted by abstraction. To me, the mixture of reality and abstraction is a recipe for impactful pieces. Finding the right balance could be very challenging at times, but if you do find it, you are prone to create engaging work. You are a versatile artist and over the years your artworks have been showcased in a number of occasions: how do you consider the nature of your relationship with your audience? In particular, how do you consider the role of emerging online technosphere — and platforms as Instagram — in creating new links between artists and worldwide audience? agazine Special Edition Contemporary Art Peripheral eries
19 SPECIAL ISSUE eries Contemporary Art Peripheral Tsvetina Daneva agazine
I think that platforms like Instagram are great for promoting and networking but nothing can compare to the excitement and fulfillment you feel from receiving live feedback from a versatile audience. I have had the pleasure of showcasing my work to a wider audience, talking and meeting people of all ages and hearing their insights and thoughts on what I have created. It’s amazing how many different perpectives you can get just from one piece and having this live interaction is very inspiring. We have really appreciated the multifaceted nature of your artistic research and before leaving this stimulating conversation we would like to thank you for chatting with us and for sharing your thoughts, Tsvetina. What projects are you currently working on, and what are some of the ideas that you hope to explore in the future? I have so many ideas for personal projects that I haven’t had the time to execute lately, but I am very much determined to soon. I have some upcoming projects with the team of the multidisciplinary company de.MO Branding and Design, which I had the chance to be a part of and I am currently developing concepts for TEDx at TED Conferences which I am very excited about! Thank you to the amazing Peripheral ARTeries, it has been an absolute pleasure! eries Contemporary Art Peripheral Tsvetina Daneva agazine 19 SPECIAL ISSUE An interview by Josh Ryder, curator and Melissa C. Hilborn, curator [email protected]
SPECIAL ISSUE 168 Hello Zhang and welcome to Peripheral ARTeries. Before starting to elaborate about your artistic production we would like to start this interview with a couple of introductory questions. Are there any experiences that did particularly influence your evolution as an artist and help you to develop your attitude to experiment? Moreover, how does your cultural substratum due to your Chinese roots direct the trajectory of your current artistic research? Zhang Fan: First of all, thanks to the interview of peripheral arteries. I am very happy to have a conversation with you! In fact, there is no special experience that affects my artistic creation. However, when I was studying at the Academy of Fine Arts in the mid-1990s, I liked to show relatively dark things. I didn't have any interest in so-called beautiful things. I didn't want to express them and I didn't know how to express them. At that time, I did some experimental works, including "Breathing Difficulties", "Passes" and so on. I think that the early contact with rebellious, cynical rock music and avant-garde art may have an impact on the experimental nature of my work. But in general, I think that the process of my artistic creation is to go with the flow and develop gradually. In my artworks, some shapes, colors, and treatments of clothes are influenced by traditional Chinese painting. In fact, Chinese culture has always influenced my artistic creation and research, but there are many things that may not be seen in the works, it is a Zhang Fan Lives and works in Wuhan, China Peripheral ARTeries meets The air exudes an uncomfortable atmosphere, and my work is more concerned with the current state of existence and the meaning of life. One of the most important aspects of contemporary art is the criticism and reflection of real life. At least so far, I am indifferent to the so-called good things. These days have a lot of problems, everyone is born to die, I simply record and deconstruct this single deterministic fact in my own expressive language in a gamelike manner. The colour of dazzling; Alienation of wrinkles; the lack of organ; the imperfect teeth; Boring and prudish coat, symbolic images and daily scene on strange and meaningful combination, so not sure the meaning of entanglement in the body like an incurable disease and appeared again and again. An interview by Josh Ryder, curator and Melissa C. Hilborn, curator [email protected] agazine Special Edition Contemporary Art Peripheral eries
SPECIAL ISSUE 170 agazine Special Edition Contemporary Art Peripheral eries These days-suppress Oil on canvas 120x100cm 2017
171 SPECIAL ISSUE deeper influence. Specific to the creation, the ideas and concepts of my artworks come from news photos, rock music, movies, tattoos, traditional culture and other things. For this special edition of Peripheral ARTeries we have selected These days, an interesting series that our readers have already started to get to know in the introductory pages of this article. What has at once impressed us of your artworks is the way you sapiently combined element from reality with captivating abstract sensitiveness, to provide the viewers with such a multilayered visual experience: when walking our readers through your usual workflow and process, we would like to ask Zhang Fan eries Contemporary Art Peripheral agazine These days-extrusion Oil on canvas 150x130cm 2018
SPECIAL ISSUE 172 agazine Special Edition Contemporary Art Peripheral eries you if you think that there is a central idea that connects all your works. Zhang Fan: I feel that my art works always pay attention to the state of existence and the meaning of life. One of the most important aspects of contemporary art is the criticism and reflection of real life, even the challenge. At least so far, I am indifferent to the so-called beautiful things. The disturbing dark side, the reflection on life and some boring things may be what I have always shown in my work. We have really appreciated the vibrancy of the nuances of that mark out your artistic production: in particular, we like the way your These days - come on Oil on canvas 150x130cm 2019
173 SPECIAL ISSUE Zhang Fan eries agazine Contemporary Art Peripheral artworks show that vivacious tones are not indespensable in order to create tension and dynamics: how does your own psychological make-up determine the nuances of tones that you decide to include in a specific artwork in order to achieve such brilliant results? Zhang Fan: In fact, for me, the tension, dynamics and details of the painting are the most difficult. I think the change of color is relatively easy to handle, it depends more on my experience and feelings, and then I can achieve the effect I want through certain technical means. Marked out with such a powerful narrative These days - sleepy Oil on canvas 130x110cm 2018
These days - huge crowds of people Oil on canvas 130x97cm 2011
SPECIAL ISSUE 176 drive on the visual aspect, your artworks push the envelope of the expressive potential of the images and the symbols that you include: how importance do symbolically charged images play in your artistic research? In particular, did you aim to provide your work with allegorical features? Zhang Fan: Repetition is power, symbolic images and daily scene on strange and meaningful combination, so not sure the meaning of entanglement in the body like an incurable disease and appeared again and again. In fact, the images I created do have some symbolic meaning, all the expression languages in my works have changed. What has not changed is that the characters basically have no nose, for example: teeth from complete to defective; alienated wrinkles are now more For the sake of simplicity and so on. In my opinion, people are defective, both psychologically and physically. It may not be obvious psychologically, it is not easy to see, but there are also dark sides and missing things. These days have a lot of problems, and there are social problems as well as our own problems. But in any case, the flesh proves nothingness and existence, and only one thing in life is very certain, that is, the end of life is death, everyone is born to death, I simply record and deconstruct this single deterministic fact in my own expressive language in a gamelike manner. Your artworks feature such effective combination between figurative and captivating abstract feeling, whose backgrounds create such an oniric atmosphere: how would you consider the relationship between abstraction and figurative in your practice? In particular, how does representation and a tendency towards abstraction find their balance in your work? Zhang Fan: I think this is still an experience, feeling and technical problem. Artistic creation agazine Special Edition Contemporary Art Peripheral eries
177 SPECIAL ISSUE eries Contemporary Art Peripheral Zhang Fan agazine These days - bite Oil on canvas 100x80cm 2014
SPECIAL ISSUE 178 agazine Special Edition Contemporary Art Peripheral eries These days-squeezing Oil on canvas 120x100cm 2015
needs to think and rely on certain techniques. Usually I will draw the draft first, and then consider the background part of the picture after determining the character and dynamics. Specific to the painting process, first I will paint the background, and finally finish the characters and details, but before the background is drawn, I will fully consider the color matching and technical processing. As you have remarked in your artist's statement, your work is concerned with the current state of existence and the meaning of life. Mexican artist Gabriel Orozco once stated, "the artists' role differs depending on which sociopolitical system they are living in.' Do you think that your artistic research responds to a particular cultural moment? Moreover, how do you consider the role of artists in our media driven contemporary age? Zhang Fan: Some artists' works or themselves may have a lot to do with politics, but my artworks are not like this, I don't think my work is related to politics or political systems. The disturbing dark side or unpleasant scenes in my artwork are found in any country, under any political system. In such a networked and pluralism world, the role of artists in society is also pluralism. Marked out with such unique visual identity, your artworks feature such an oniric atmosphere and deeply struck us for the way they incite the viewer to make new personal associations. Austrian Art historian Ernst Gombrich once remarked the importance of providing a space for the viewers to project onto, so that they can actively participate in the creation of the illusion: how important is for you to trigger the viewers' imagination in order to address them to elaborate personal interpretations? In particular, how open would you like your works to be understood? eries Contemporary Art Peripheral Zhang Fan agazine 179 SPECIAL ISSUE
These days - the other side Oil on canvas 120x80cm 2010
SPECIAL ISSUE 182 Zhang Fan: I think my artworks is relatively easy to interpret because it is basically real life. But the imagination of the audience will definitely be wider than the picture. I think it is important to cause people's attention and thinking. Of course, it doesn't have to be so serious. If the audience feels ridiculous, witty, funny, disgusting, boring, uneasy and so on, I think it is normal. For example, “These days-come on” is ostensibly positive and healthy, but if the audience thinks more, they will find that this work actually represents the contest and struggle between people. agazine Special Edition Contemporary Art Peripheral eries These days - summer Oil on canvas 120x100 cm 2014
183 SPECIAL ISSUE eries Contemporary Art Peripheral Zhang Fan agazine How do you consider the nature of your relationship with your audience? And what do you hope your audience take away from your artworks? In particular, how do you consider the role of emerging online technosphere — and platforms as Instagram — in creating new links between artists and worldwide audience? Zhang Fan: What the audience can get in the artworks is any feeling. Now is the age of the Internet. Platforms such as Instagram are one of the hallmarks of the progress of the times. They will play a huge role in creating the connection between artists and global audiences, because convenience is impossible for organizations such These days - can't see clearly Oil on canvas 130x110 cm 2017
agazine Special Edition Contemporary Art Peripheral eries SPECIAL ISSUE 184 as traditional galleries, but it is a problem to not see the original work. We have really appreciated the multifaceted nature of your artistic research and before leaving this stimulating conversation we would like to thank you for chatting with us and for sharing your thoughts, Zhang. What projects are you currently working on, and what are some of the ideas that you hope to explore in the future? Zhang Fan: The "These Days" series will definitely continue, and I still have a lot of sketches that have been completed without painting. This series is the main clue to my These days - lower the head to fight Oil on canvas 120x100cm 2016
eries Contemporary Art Peripheral Zhang Fan agazine These days - lower the head to fight Oil on canvas 120x100 cm 2016 185 SPECIAL ISSUE
SPECIAL ISSUE 186 agazine Special Edition Contemporary Art Peripheral eries These days - choking Oil on canvas 130x110 cm 2017
Zhang Fan eries agazine Contemporary Art Peripheral 187 SPECIAL ISSUE artistic creation, and it lasts for the longest time, and the attention and thinking about the state of existence and the meaning of life (actually life may be meaningless) will not end. At present, painting is my main artistic expression. In fact, in addition to "These Days", I have done a lot of other works, including "Traces", "Assiduously Study" and "Flesh" series and so on. If there are some good ideas, some conceptual works may be done in the future to expand some new possibilities. Finally, what I want to say is that I am very happy to have the opportunity to talk to you and wish Peripheral ARTeries better and better. Thank you very much! These days - come on Oil on canvas 130x110cm 2015