Natural talent

Zhang was among 12 artists who came to Jingyang for temporary residence and creation over the past year as part of a joint initiative by the local government and Art Nova 100, a Beijing organization and launchpad for young artists, to encourage them to integrate their work with the social and cultural aspects of the rural area.

Altogether, 14 works, including Zhang's pink pavilion, were unveiled in October at Art Jingyang 2022, and they have become an integral part of Jingyang's landscape, turning the countryside into a public art show that never closes, according to Song Jirui, the chief curator.

"Art is not the key to everything," Song says. "What we aim for is to awaken people's memories of the best of rural life and to empower rural vitalization."

The project includes 10 installations placed along a newly built countryside road which connects five towns and villages, and which runs across hills, rivers and terraced fields.

"We hope to add more dimensions of beauty and fun to this thoroughfare, making it an option for those who hike, jog, cycle, drive or camp," Song says.