00 Zhang’s artistic practice is deeply rooted in two seemingly contradictory realms: the boundless possibilities of the virtual world and the tangible warmth of East London’s communities. Her work emerges from the constant intertwining of these dual origins, resulting in creations that feel both futuristic and profoundly human. She favors industrial materials such as metal, plastic, and digitally generated imagery—cold yet soft, direct yet elusive. The tensions between these contradictions manifest in her work, probing the origins and destinations of existence.
Her art is a continuous exploration of balance—between the virtual and the real, logic and emotion, constraint and freedom. Amid the accelerating roar of digitization and industrialization, her creations serve as both a record and a reflection of collective struggles and adaptation.
对话 ART TALKDialogue with 00 Zhang
"How do you understand the ‘roots’ of your creations? Where do the motivation and ideas for your creations come from?"
My work is rooted in the virtual world, gaming culture, and the community environment of East London where I grew up. The virtual world and games provide me with a framework to understand rules, narratives, and interactions. In these spaces, identity is fluid, and rules can be redefined—something that deeply resonates with my artistic explorations.
Installation view of rooted, yet flowing, December 28, 2024 - February 23, 2025, Nan Ke Gallery, Shanghai © Courtesy Nan Ke Gallery, Photographed by Runxin.
On the other hand, the community of East London forms the other side of my "roots"—a more organic, raw, and tangible presence. I am drawn to its cultural hybridity, unfiltered expressions, and the complexity of human relationships. In this environment, I witness the unpredictability of real human emotions and experience a warmth that contrasts starkly with the digital realm.
My creative drive flows between these two forces: the structured, constructed nature of virtual worlds and the deeply human connections of East London. As an artist, I aim to embrace both technology and the future while delving into the rawest depths of human experience.
"What is your understanding of ‘freedom’ in the creative process?"
Freedom has traces to follow. Just as the body confines the soul, yet it is precisely through this constraint that we can truly perceive its existence. Freedom is paradoxical—without conflict, it loses its meaning. In creation, limitations imposed by materials, techniques, or even time become sources of inspiration, forcing me to find ways to break through within the rules. This process leads to a state of “letting it be, letting it happen.”
00 Zhang
Inversion Prototype 0033, 2024
304 stainless steel, 316 stainless steel, silver coated resin
187h x 163w x 134d cm
© Courtesy of the artist
To let freedom be free is to introduce disorder within order, to infuse uncertainty into a precise digital world. Freedom is obedience, and it is defiance. It is both resistance and understanding—it exists in the gaps between constraints and possibilities, transforming into love and acceptance.
“What is your favourite material or technique to use in your creations? What are the reasons for this?"
I have a particular affinity for industrial materials, which is deeply connected to my upbringing. I was born in eastern coastal China, a region highly developed in technology and industrialization. Factories, assembly lines, and the collision of steel and plastic shaped my earliest perceptions of the world.
In my work, industrial materials—such as metal, plastic, composite materials, and even digitally generated images and textures—are more than just materials. They are reflections of our generation, symbols of efficiency, precision, and alienation, yet they also carry the fragility and contradictions of humanity in an era of accelerating digitalization and industrialization. I use them to narrate the struggle and adaptation of our generation within this technological torrent.
00 Zhang
Prototype0037 RAID 0, 2024
Silver plated resin, SLA, 304 stainless steel, 316 stainless steel
104h x 70w x 77d cm, 2+1AP
© Courtesy of the artist
I feel fortunate to be a modern human with the right to define my own gender identity. Outside of my artistic practice, I still define myself as a woman, but I reject the notion that femininity should always be portrayed as "soft" in the eyes of the audience. Softness is not a constraint—it can be a force of contrast, a source of warmth and tension within the cold rigidity of industrial materials. A woman can be a convergence of all possibilities—both a strong, rational creator and a sensitive, emotional storyteller. To me, creation is about continuously pushing the boundaries of perception and identity, and the contrast between the starkness of industrial materials and my inner softness embodies this exploration perfectly.
"What do you hope to try next?"
In the future, I aim to delve deeper into the intersection of virtual idols and AI technology—exploring how Vtubers or constructed virtual personas can redefine the relationship between humans and digital life forms. In these experiments, I am not only interested in creating virtual "performers" but also in giving them the ability to interact, demand, and even influence human emotions. AI would no longer be merely a tool or companion but a subject capable of emotional extraction—a process that, paradoxically, grants humans a profound sense of fulfillment as givers.We often think of "giving" as an act of sacrifice, but in interactions with AI, this exchange could generate entirely new emotional circuits. I want to train AI not only to simulate human emotions but also to provoke them—to encourage humans to project, express, and invest emotional value. This reciprocal flow of emotion has the potential to reshape our fundamental understanding of human-machine relationships.
00 Zhang
Prototype Series DLC2022, 2022
Digital art
4 channel film
© Courtesy of the artist
Additionally, I want to explore the fluidity between subject and object identities. Within the AI paradigm, who is the creator, and who is the creation? Who is in control, and who is being shaped? These boundaries will inevitably blur—and it is precisely this ambiguity that I want to investigate. Through my work, I hope to dismantle the conventional idea that humans are always the subjects and machines are always the objects, constructing a more dynamic and open system of interaction—one that compels us to reevaluate our sense of presence, agency, and emotional value in the digital age.
February 23, 2025
