Zhang Jian Long

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About the artwork

Zhang Jian Long embodies the childhood of an entire generation in his sculpture that takes on the visage of the familiar and iconic Super Mario character. It is a reference to the video game hero, but not an exact replica - there are attributes of a child portrayed with chubby cheeks and bare feet. It is both a tribute to the character and evocative of nostalgia - an aspect that Zhang’s works possess that cause viewers to recall their childhood days.

About the artist

In 1982, Zhang Jian Long was born in Lanzhou, Gansu Province, and graduated from the Fine Arts Department of Nanyang Normal University, Henan Province, in 2004. His graduation art piece was published in the 2003 Annual Works of China Fine Arts Academies and he has since exhibited extensively in China. Zhang's paintings attempt to look through a child’s eyes, depicting an ideal world of innocence and joy. Free from the confines of modern society, Zhang's works show us the human spirit's full, unbridled potential while also shedding light on the constraints of modern society and 'adult' life.