Chinese artist Zhang Shangfeng presents a solo exhibition titled “The Discourse of Neo-Mythmaking” at Beijing’s Bonian Space, curated by Yang Xi. The show features recent paintings that blend personal experience with contemporary archetypes to create what the artist calls “neo-myths.” Zhang’s work draws on his time in Xi’an, China, and an exchange program at the University of Arts in Belgrade, using stylized, modernist-influenced imagery to explore themes of self, otherness, loneliness, and interpersonal relationships.
The exhibition matters because it highlights a growing trend among Chinese contemporary artists to reimagine mythology for the modern era, bridging personal narrative and universal human experience. Zhang’s approach—rooted in image-making that questions reality and linear time—offers a fresh perspective on how visual art can address emotional and psychological dimensions of contemporary life. The show also underscores Bonian Space’s role in presenting conceptually driven work that connects local artistic practices with global dialogues.