Mingzhang Sun: After Summer, Half

7 Feb-30 Mar 2025

Overview

We are excited to announce After Summer, Half, an exhibition by Mingzhang Sun which explores themes of nostalgia, identity, and self-discovery through two powerful collections: After Summer and Half. 

In After Summer, Mingzhang reflects on the bittersweet transition from the carefree days of youth to the responsibilities of adulthood. The vibrant yet melancholic canvases, painted in dark greens and golds, symbolize the fading glow of youthful dreams and the challenges that shape our aspirations. Drawing inspiration from the lotus flower, a symbol of resilience, this collection encourages introspection and personal growth. 

Half brings together 33 oil paintings that blend traditional Chinese calligraphy with landscape painting. The collection explores the theme of incompleteness, prompting viewers to reflect on the blurry edges of their own experiences and the complexities of identity. 

Together, these collections offer a shared invitation toward self-awareness and connection, proposing that viewers contemplate the balance between positive and negative spaces in their lives.

This exhibition is part of the Emerging Artist Programme 2024-25. The programme is dedicated to supporting early-career artists within the first 10 years of their practice.

About Mingzhang Sun

Mingzhang Sun is a Chinese-born multidisciplinary artist currently based in London. With extensive training in both Chinese and European painting, fashion design, costume design, soft sculpture, installation, and performance art, Ming’s artistic practice spans various mediums. An alumnus of the Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing and the University of the Arts in London, Mingzhang won the prestigious 2013 CAFA President’s Choice Award and the 2017 UAL Excellence in Design and Realization for Performance Award. Mingzhang’s artworks have been showcased in solo and group exhibitions across the United Kingdom, China, New Zealand, and Europe.