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Lou Zhenggang

Lou Zhenggang (b. 1966, Heilongjiang, China) is a renowned Chinese contemporary artist whose work bridges traditional Chinese calligraphy, the Japanese Gutai movement, and Western Abstract Expressionism.

From an early age, Lou was trained in calligraphy and painting by her father. Her exceptional talent in calligraphy, considered one of the highest forms of artistic expression in China, led her to enroll in a government-sponsored fine arts academy. There, she quickly gained national recognition, winning numerous competitions.

In 1986, she moved to Japan, where she won fame through several highly acclaimed exhibitions, illustrated columns for prominent local magazines, and regular appearances on national television programs. Her work has been exhibited in Paris and New York and is part of numerous public and private collections. In 2007, Lou Zhenggang became the first contemporary artist to exhibit at the National Museum of China. 

Her paintings are bold, complex, and vibrant, exploring themes of self-discovery and evolution. Lou oscillates between free expression and disciplined control, creating a dynamic that mirrors the experiential flux of life. Through abstract forms and vigorous brushstrokes, her work meditates on the transient nature of reality and the impermanence of life. 

Her abstract landscapes became a form of expression for her inner voice, inspired by Eastern aesthetics. Her work incorporates various stylistic elements, creating captivating expressions of her inner voice. Her paintings are almost elemental, seeming to dissolve from one moment to the next, while offering a rich, textured quality. 

Lou Zhenggang's works reveal a high level of technical mastery and a thoughtful approach to materiality, color, and form. She invites the viewer to engage deeply with the visual experience and to reflect psychologically. Each painting is a tribute to the immaterial and ephemeral nature of reality, with dynamic brushstrokes and abstract forms that reflect the fluid and ever-evolving nature of the universe. 

The artist constantly seeks to innovate her calligraphic and painting techniques, experimenting with expressive materials to convey her unique and humanistic aesthetic. She has created several emblematic series, including Sun & Moon, Life and Love, Heart, All Nature, and Power of Art, which illustrate her distinctive approach to contemporary abstract art. 

In recent years, Lou Zhenggang has immersed herself in the landscape of Izu, Japan. Her intuitive responses to this environment, local culture, history, as well as her own life experiences and memories, have deeply inspired her practice. Her work evokes the convergence of natural phenomena and human contemplation, highlighting the cyclical and uninterrupted nature of existence.

  • Biography

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  • Bibliography

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Selected artworks

  • Lou Zhenggang,                                      Untitled, 2018

    Lou Zhenggang Untitled, 2018

    Acrylic on canvas
    116.7 x 97 cm
    46 x 38.2 in

  • Lou Zhenggang,                                      Untitled, 2021

    Lou Zhenggang Untitled, 2021

    Acrylic on canvas
    145.5 × 145.5 cm
    57.3 x 57.3 in

  • Lou Zhenggang,                                      Untitled, 2021

    Lou Zhenggang Untitled, 2021

    Acrylic on canvas
    145.5 x 145.5 cm
    57.3 x 57.3 in

  • Lou Zhenggang,                                      Untitled, 2021

    Lou Zhenggang Untitled, 2021

    Acrylic on canvas
    145.5 × 291 (diptych)

Gallery exhibitions

Selected press