When it comes to Rachel Zhang’s work the more you look, the more you see. It’s art which requires meticulous observation from its viewer, if in return they want to be rewarded by the joy of discovering the hidden figures discretely placed amongst the scene – such as the politician in the stomach of a patient in ‘seeing permission to enter’ or the bust of a head of a woman in the bottom right corner of ‘hot place heart space’.
Based in Brooklyn New York, Zhang studied at the School of Visual Arts and was recently awarded the NYFA Recharge New Surrealist Prize and has such described as a “leading voice in contemporary genre painting”. Her current exhibition at Saatchi Yates, has offered her a second opportunity to display her art in London, in a gallery acclaimed for its dedication to emerging artists.
Within the walls of the Bury Street building, Zhang has presented 13 titled paintings with the exclusion of captions, enforcing the viewer to translate her work independently – a choice that may not favour the minds unfamiliar to surrealism. Each canvas depicts a familiar location but with a whimsical, phantasmagorical interpretation, inspired by contemporary narrative painters Nicole Eisenman and Neo Rauch. Through these surrealist figurative scenes, she wants us to consider “how interconnected we are- with our relationships to others, to things and places, to the systems we belong in and what roles we play within society” and as such intertwines her paintings with the themes of social psychology. Her work is striking, emblematic and vivid in colour. The large array of work on display is certainly a feast for the eyes, and while brim-full, allows breathing space for thought and thinking and serves as a mirror to the individual’s life- with what you notice and give meaning to, being unique from the person stood next to you. Her work extends to video format, and she provides an array of collage animation, accessible for free online which she hopes gives each person an opportunity to revisit her work in the intimacy of their home.
For those who are mesmerised by surrealist work, and don’t require conceptual subject matter prior to viewing art, Zhang’s exhibition is worth a visit and her career deserving of observation.
Featured Image: Rachel Zhang’s artwork on display – Hot place heart space, 2024, Oil on canvas, 182.9 x 213.4 cm. Courtesy: Saatchi Yates Gallery
Review by Emma Carys
About Rachel Zhang
American artist Rachel Zhang, based in Brooklyn, NY, delves into the absurdities and existential anxieties surrounding personal autonomy and societal roles concerning systems of power. Through surrealist figurative scenes, Zhang explores the evolving beliefs that structure social hierarchies and manifestations of control. Her oil paintings, symbolic of contemporary genre painting, often depict figures in conflict or metamorphosis, navigating mysterious tasks and public spaces marked by power dynamics. As a second-generation Chinese American woman, Zhang’s work reflects her nuanced perspective on visibility, otherness, and the complexities of identity in relation to her cultural heritage and societal expectations. She draws from personal and collective histories, including the intersection of Asian American experiences, family narratives during 20th-century China, and broader histories of women’s roles. Zhang earned her BFA from the School of Visual Arts in New York, where she cultivated her interest in surrealist imagery and its intersection with social psychology. In 2024, she was awarded the NYFA Recharge New Surrealist Prize.
For more information on Saatchi Yates’ current and upcoming exhibitions visit Home | Saatchi Yates
Read Abundant Art’s latest Review: ‘The Legends of Them’: A spiritual journey sung through scattered memories – Royal Court Theatre until 21 December – Abundant Art
