Zhang Huan: Life and artistic practice

Art

Long Ear Ash Head

Long Ear Ash Head" by Zhang Huan (2007) is a sculpture made out of ash, steel and wood. From the front, it looks like a cartoon character or some kind of monster, with two short legs, and wide body, and a head with things growing out of it. From the side it is easier to see that it is a head and the legs are actually long ears. It is also easier to see that the things on top represent hair, and that this statue has big nose, too. Looking down on the piece shows the eyes and the forehead of this head, and gives it more depth and detail, and it is interesting how the artist managed to make it look very different from every angle, almost like very different sculptures in one.

Close up this art is very rough and textured, like the materials it is made of. It makes the head look like it is old and weathered, and has seen many things, so it seems wise or smart somehow. It also seems old, like aged and seeing many things, which many have been why the artist made this head. Some people say the head is a self-portrait of the artist, while other say it is portrait of Buddha, and it is made from ash of Buddhist temples, so maybe this is the truth. It is very big, and seems to represent someone larger-than-life, so it seems it would be Buddha the artist had in mind when creating it, and perhaps that is why it seems wise and very old, too.