Dang Zhen (b. 1973) Gray Fable - Green Apple ink and colour on paper executed in 2010 93 x 87 cm. (36 5/8 x 34 1/4 in.) LITERATURE p.111, The Obscure Fable - Dang Zhen's artworks,Shandong Fine Arts Publishing House, July 2012 p.23, Zhongguo Meishujia Dazi II - Dang Zhen, Beijing Arts and Crafts Press, May 2012 FURTHER DESCRIPTION Dang Zhen debuted the Gray Fable series at his Graduation Exhibition at the Central Academy of Fine Arts in 2007, at which time the unique blend of East and West in his ink works was already apparent. The pieces feature figures as the main subject, a breakthrough from traditional ink and its focus on lines, and the emphasis is on the rendering of ink and colours to maintain high levels of translucence and immediacy, for an effect similar to transparent watercolour. The ink used in subtle brushstrokes creates sketch-like textures, while the strong narrative and allegory depicted is a direct influence of surrealism.
Gray Fable - Green Apple is a more mature piece that resulted from the continued development of the series, showing more stability in both structure and colour use. The artist creates new visual and symbolic meaning through the reconstruction and misplacement of everyday matters, the result is a one-of-a-kind artist charm to call his own.