Zhang creates a sense of harmony in his paintings of Scottish landscapes. He focuses on the interactions between the brush, ink and water to create a sense of harmony. Using black ink on white paper, Zhang turns empty space into a symbolic subject matter. For example, he never directly depicts water, but instead hints at its presence by painting reflections or boats. Yet he focuses on nature, when human figures are depicted in a smaller scale to signify their insignificance. Typical of Chinese paintings, there is no single vanishing point or light source in his paintings. Zhang depicts natural scenes in different layers, creating an unrealistic depiction of Scottish landscapes.
“In Chi’s current paintings, which focus on the Scottish landscape, he encapsulates the essence of his surroundings rather than a naturalistic rendering.” (Quoted from the artist’s website, https://www.chizhangartist.com/gallery)
