About Artist

Zhang Linhong was born in Hunan, China, in 1979 and has lived in Austria since December 2014. Her passion for painting dates back to her childhood in a small town; though she lacked formal training, solitary moments in nature awakened a keen sensitivity to the "aesthetics of the moment." Her path to art was unconventional: after more than a decade as a Chinese language teacher and later an editor, she only fully committed to painting in her forties. Her rich literary background provides a multidimensional perspective, reflected in her delicate portrayal of human emotions and the profound atmosphere of her works.

"Seeing the world" marked a pivotal turning point in her life. Following her father's teaching to "read ten thousand books and travel ten thousand miles," she has traveled extensively across China, Asia, the Americas, and Europe since 2000. Through these journeys—witnessing the world, its people, and herself—she learned to shift from outward observation to inward reflection. In 2023, as an immigrant facing a period of uncertainty, she delved deep into her inner self and rediscovered her original dream: painting. She subsequently completed five semesters of coursework at the Vienna Art School.

In her creative practice, personal feeling takes precedence over pure technique. The canvas is not a place for imitation, but a record of perception. "To me, writing is expressing my heart through words; painting is expressing my heart through my hands." With the spirit of Chinese humanism as her foundation, Western classical oil techniques as her framework, and narratives from mythology, nature, and literature as her soul, Zhang Linhong weaves artistic dreams through the medium of oil.