05/09/2026
First Week of Residency | Zhang Chunhua in Rome
Beginning on 5 August, artist Zhang Chunhua travelled through Rome, Florence, Siena, Pisa, and Pompeii, researching ancient Italian frescoes and Early Renaissance art. On 20 August, he formally began his residency and creative work in Rome.
Rather than simply revisiting art history, these encounters have prompted a renewed reflection on history and the present, seeing and making. In the works currently taking shape, Zhang responds intuitively to what he has experienced in Italy.
He is particularly drawn to the simplicity of early fresco painting: its directness, apparent naivety, and the distance it maintains from physical reality.
The limited duration of the residency has also introduced a different rhythm to his practice. As Zhang observes, “This sense of urgency may push something unexpected out of me.”
From the tiny stones patiently assembled in the mosaics of Pompeii to the gradual development of a painting, Zhang continues to value slowness. The influence of this residency may not appear immediately, but could resurface in his work after a longer period of reflection.
AAIE will continue documenting Zhang Chunhua’s research and creative process during his residency in Rome.
#张春华
