A Big Family

Zhang Xiaogang's 'A Big Family' is a compelling example of his surrealist and magic realism style, part of his Bloodline series. The monochromatic portraits depict Chinese individuals with large, dark pupils, posed stiffly like portraits from the 1950s-60s, reflecting themes of family, memory, and identity. Recently, Zhang translated these characterizations into three-dimensional sculptures, expanding his exploration of familial bonds. As one of China's most influential contemporary artists, his work captures the complex emotional landscape of Chinese society through stylized and symbolic imagery.