Zhu Jinshi (b. 1954, active Beijing) is a trailblazer in Chinese abstract and installation art. Beginning his career in the early 1980s with abstract painting, he later ventured into performance, installation, and conceptual art. Zhu's artistic journey led him to Berlin in 1986; he returned to China in 1994, dividing his time between Berlin and Beijing until 2010, and currently resides and works in Beijing.
Abstract painting and conceptual installation coexist in Zhu’s practice, occasionally intersecting and challenging each other. Initially influenced by modernism, Zhu's early abstract paintings gradually evolved into his signature “thick painting” style. Employing strong techniques and tools like palettes and wall trowels, Zhu sculpts his canvases with heavy paint, creating a self-contained visual system that transcends traditional two-dimensional space.
Zhu's exploration of conceptual art began in the late 1980s and led to his international recognition for his groundbreaking use of materials, such as rice paper and bamboo. His installations dissolve physical and cultural boundaries to create architectural landscapes. Zhu Jinshi's creations transcend artistic mediums and times, embodying a personal artistic evolution within the context of contemporary global culture. As a pioneer in Chinese abstract and installation art, his work offers a profound exploration of art's transformative power, extending beyond geographical and cultural confines. His artwork is the permanent collections of major institutions such as the National Museum of Contemporary Art, Seoul; Today Art Museum, Beijing; Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA); the M+ Museum for Visual Culture, Hong Kong, China, Rubell Family Collection, USA and the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco. Read more 
