After completing 7 years of studies in Repin Academy of Fine Arts, Zhang Wei returns to his mother-school Central academy of Fine Arts- School of Sculpture. There he participated in the CAFA research programs of traditional Chinese sculpture of the Yun Gang, Long Men and Mai Ji Shan Grottoes.   

Zhang Wei was born into a Catholic family. In 2005 he created for a Catholic Church a sculpture of Holy Mother Mary of 5 meters in height. The sculpture had Asian facial-features, the dressing features was similar to the Buddhist Holy Mother from the Wei Jin Dynasty (420-589). The sculpture reminds the viewers of Avalokitesvara or Guan Yin, which had in the past provoked controversy and dialogue. After this, Zhang Wei was inspired to his later works “Peaks” Series and “Origin” Series.

Zhang Wei says that he is now completely free from the conception, topic and form of his art-works, instead he is only concerned with the consistent depiction and the precise expression of his art-work in the mother tongue. Shown in this exhibition, “Woods” Series is a continuation of Zhang Wei’s “Peaks” Series after his traveling to and research of India and her traditional sculptures.