Now Showing: “Three Heads Six Arms” (2008), a colossal and beautiful temporary sculpture by celebrated Chinse artist Zhang Huan, makes its world premier in the heart of San Francisco’s Civic Center this summer, in conjunction with the Shanghai-San Francisco Sister City 30th Anniversary Celebration. Set in the Joseph L. Alioto Performing Arts Piazza, “Three Heads Six Arms” stands over 26 feet tall and weighs almost fifteen tons, making it Zhang’s largest sculpture to date. It is on loan (courtesy of the artist and The Pace Gallery, NY) through 2011.

Revisiting many of the social and existential themes that have made Zhang’s work resonate so broadly,
“Three Heads Six Arms” is part of a series of monumental works depicting the fragmented extremities of Buddhist statues. The series was inspired by Zhang’s discovery of religious sculptures that had been destroyed during the Cultural Revolution for sale in a Tibetan market. He began the series in 2006 shortly after moving from New York to Shanghai, where he retired his performance art practice and embraced a more traditional approach to artistic creation. His recent work is characterized by a more overt relationship with traditional Chinese culture and Buddhist iconography. However, he continues to use the body as a primary vehicle for exploring existential questions and expressing emotions, and it is a common thematic thread through his various artworks.

The first sculptures in the Buddha series included nine large-scale copper fingers, based on remains he collected during his visit to Tibet. According to Zhang, “When I saw these fragments in Lhasa, a mysterious power impressed me. They’re embedded with historical and religious traces, just like the limbs of a human being.” The fingers of Buddhist deities are considered highly symbolic because they convey different spiritual meanings through various hand gestures, or mudras. Zhang continued the series with several even larger sculptures combining the legs, feet, hands and heads of Buddhist deities. The artist, having been deeply moved by the sight of the desecrated statues, believes that by recreating these fragments on a grand scale, he is able to alleviate the pain caused by their destruction.

According to the artist, “The shape of ‘Three Heads Six Arms’ came from my correlation of it with the Chinese mythological character Nezha, inspiration came from Tibetan Buddhist sculptures. I replaced two of the three Buddha heads with human heads.” Among the sculpture’s three heads is a self-portrait of the artist. In his earlier performances and photographs, Zhang always placed himself at the center of the action. Using his own body as his primary medium, he would subject himself to extreme physical trials and exploits often in front of large audiences. By introducing himself into the Buddha series, he reinstates this practice and draws a parallel between the body of Buddhist deities and his own. “Three Heads Six Arms” exemplifies how the layers of ideas explored in his performance pieces have carried through to his more traditional studio practice. “’Three Heads Six Arms’ reflects the changing realities of Chinese people today and also reflects the attitude that humankind has conquered nature and even reflects deeds of volition and hope,” said Zhang.

Zhang chose San Francisco as the ideal setting to debut his sculpture, in part because of the long-standing history being honored between Shanghai and San Francisco during this year’s Sister City Celebration. “The Shanghai San Francisco Sister City celebration commemorates this important time in the history of our two countries when the exchange of art, culture and ideas between the East and West is marked by openness and mutual appreciation. While ‘Three Heads Six Arms’ clearly embodies ideas that are rooted in Chinese culture and tradition, it is also about our common humanity. I hope that, while the sculpture is in San Francisco, it will serve as a bridge between these two great cities and that it will continue to foster this spirit of tolerance and appreciation,” said Zhang.

For more information, visit www.sfartscommission.org.

Above series: Zhang Huan’s “Three Heads Six Arms,” 2008. Copper. 26′ 3″ x 59′ 3/4″ x 32′ 9-3/4″ (800 cm x 1,800 cm x 1,000 cm). Photographs by Bruce Damonte.

**All images courtesy of the San Francisco Arts Commission