Xu Zhen (b. 1977) is a media artist from Shangai whose work represents the Chinese art community. Active in video, installation, photo, and performance arts, Xu Zhen is one of the top young artists of the world. Recently, he has held his first solo exhibition in New York. His subversive work, which challenges the general concept of ‘truth’, is attracting the attention of many. Notably, Zhen has expressed his doubts of the role of the media through a reenactment of the discussion of the truth and deceit of Neil Armstrong’s moon-landing via the Apollo 11 in 1969 which is known as one of the biggest conspiracy  of all time.

Zhen’s most representative video art work is ‘18 days’ in 2006 and ‘8848-1.86 in 2005. His video work distinctively takes on the characteristic and subject of ‘record-keeping’, and is often called documentary videos. ‘8848-1.86’, which was exhibited in 2005 at the Yokohama Triennale, is a collection of footages of his ascent of the Mt. Everest. It was accompanied by an installation model of an iceberg at the exhibition. In ‘18 days’, footages of operation of remote-controlled model weapons as a concept of an ‘invasion’ strategy which took place on his trip to Myanmar and Russia with friends are presented on the screen.

Zhen’s most recent work, an installation art work  replicating a Chinese convenience store complete with even a shop attendant exhibited at the 2007 Basel Art Fair, demonstrates his thoughts on the commercialism of art fairs. The list of exhibition of Zhen’s work is as follows: Performa07, NY, the 10th International Istanbul Biennial (2007), Art Unlimited 2007 at ArtBasel 38, China Power Station: Part II, Astrup Fearnley Museum of Modern Art, Oslo, Norway (2007), The Real Thing – Contemporary Art from China at Tate Liverpool (2007), 49th Venice Biennale(2001), 51th Venice Biennale(2005)

Xu Zhen_just_did_it-2008© Copyright ShanghART Gallery 1996-2008

Xu Zhen_8848-1_86_video_2005© Copyright ShanghART Gallery 1996-2008

Selected Exhibitions:
2008
Just did It!, James Cohan Gallery, New York
Untitled-Xu Zhen Solo Exhibition, ShanghART Gallery,Shanghai

2007
Art 38 Basel, Art Unlimited-Xu Zhen 18 Days (at B3), Art Fair Switzerland

2006
Xu Zhen: 8848 - 1.86, ShanghART H-Space,Shanghai
8848 - 1.86-Xu Zhen Solo Exhibition, Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
An Animal - Xu Zhen's solo exhibition, 2577 Longhua Road, Xuhui district, Shanghai

2002
Careful, Don't Get Dirty, Galerie Waldburger, Berlin, Germany
A Young Man-Xu Zhen Solo Exhibition, Bizart, Shanghai