About the artwork
In a reflection of both his own childhood and countless others in his generation, Zhang Jian Long depicts a typical scene from the 90’s of children caught up in their game. In ‘Battle City,’ a game played on a 16-bit console is depicted - the mother of many video games to come. With subsequent generations taking for granted the advancements in technology and state-of-the-art video games, Zhang shows us an earlier period of time when children were still awestruck and enraptured by the evolution of a game. Dressed in different outfits, with some playing whilst others watch and cheer them on, Zhang captures the essence of imagination and teamwork that prevailed in the minds of children before the prevalence of technology led to the construction of social barriers and increased isolation.
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.
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