Born in Peng Lai, in Shandong province, she is described by critics as “the queen of art” and “the poetess of color.” After studying at the Academy of Arts and Design at Tsinghua University in Beijing, she now teaches at the Shandong Academy of Fine Arts. Her practice focuses on an original use of color, texture, and materials, with particular attention to eco-sustainable fabrics, through which she reinterprets the Chinese tradition of paper cutting in a contemporary key. Drawing inspiration from the visual codes of historical dynasties, she revives symbolic motifs, stamps, and ancient textiles in vibrant and layered works. The series “Xi’an Warriors,” born from a visit to the Museum of the Terracotta Army, is among her best-known: the artist reinvents the warriors by giving them a “new skin” made of fabric, charged with pop energy. She has exhibited in Berlin, Paris, London, Miami, Madrid, Denver, and numerous Chinese cities, also participating in the 56th Venice Biennale (2015). She has held solo exhibitions in prestigious venues such as the Shandong Art Museum, the Coral Springs Museum of Art, and institutions in Xi’an, Milan, and Palermo. Featured in fairs like Art Paris, Mia Photo Fair, and ArtVerona, Zhang combines politics and poetry, memory and experimentation in her works, establishing herself as one of the most original voices in contemporary Chinese art. She lives and works between Shandong and Beijing.