Zheng Guogu

Born in Guangdong province, China in 1970, Zheng Guogu graduated from the Printmaking Department of the Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts in 1992. Today he is one of the most renowned contemporary Chinese artists in the world and is also one of the most versatile, recognized for his skill in painting, embroidery, photography, and sculpture. He was inspired by the members of the Long Tail Elephant Group to explore more experimental, cooperative projects and subsequently formed the Yangjiang Calligraphy Group, in part to promote the art community in the small Southern city of Yangjiang. The group tests the boundaries of calligraphy in a contemporary context, often extracting the characters from their traditional setting and turning them into sculptural objects.