Zhang Huan NEITHER COMING NOR GOING at PaceWildenstein gallery (545 W. 22nd st.) Dec. 11- JANUARY 30
Zhang Huan is known mostly for his performance art, but with this show he steps into the realm of printmaking, but the monstrous size of these prints is nothing short of theatrical, some of them reaching 8’x12’ they approach the viewer more as stage sets or backdrops for the similarly colossal sculpture of Buddha that greets the viewer from the center of the gallery. The space feels like an outside public space— a park or a shrine that has fallen into disrepair— feathers have found their way onto the prints and the statue, which is apparently made of ash. The gallery is filled with the woody smell of incense that was burned during the opening.
This is definitely one of my favorite shows of the (school) year, it’s a nice departure from “New York City” and all of the baggage that comes with it. The show is literally a breath of fresh air, an experience that pulls you in and holds onto you until you’ve long left the gallery.
(according to Saatchi Online, it’s one of the top ten winter shows around the globe this year!)
