Central to Zhao's artistic ethos is his distinctive brushstrokes, which invite viewers into a realm of fluidity and exploration, where each piece's aesthetic and creative value unfolds. For Zhao, his artworks serve as liberated extensions of self-expression, drawing deeply from the rich heritage of Chinese brushwork and calligraphy he has honed since childhood.
Navigating the edge between abstraction and figuration, Zhao's bold brushwork reflects a lifelong journey of self-discovery, continually pushing the boundaries between East and West. A graduate of the painting program at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts of Brussels, Zhao's accolades include the Gold Medal Prize from the Royal Association of Professional Artists of Belgium in 2001.
Having since relocated to the United States to pursue further artistic endeavors, Zhao obtained his MFA degree from the School of Visual Arts in New York. His works and live calligraphy performances have been shown at various venues worldwide, from the Walloon Fine Art Museum in Belgium to the Culture Center of Monterrey in Mexico, and the Boston Sculptors Gallery, the Fuller Craft Museum, and the Peabody Essex Museum's fountain area.
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Quanzhou (Jack) Zhao – Artist Statement
My brushwork navigates the fluid boundaries between Eastern and Western artistic traditions. Grounded in Chinese calligraphy and Shanshui (landscape) painting, my subjects often draw from Tang and Song dynasty poetry, iconic pine trees, and scholar's rocks—sometimes juxtaposed with modern means of transportation. I render these classical and contemporary themes using a fusion of ink, acrylic, and oil on traditional rice paper and canvas.
Inspired by the energy of Post-Impressionism, I developed a signature textural stroke called the "Van Gogh Cun," merging Western expressive brushwork with traditional Chinese brush principles. Through this synthesis, my art becomes a liberated extension of self-expression.
Yet my work is not merely an aesthetic exercise; my paintings pose quiet questions about our trajectory. We live in an age of acceleration: technology races forward while our inner lives often grow disconnected from nature, tradition, and ourselves. My work is an invitation to sense, feel, and remember—expressing my concern that in our drive toward progress, we risk losing the very things that make us human: stillness, sensation, reflection, and emotional depth.
By blending the old with the new and the East with the West, I create a space where viewers can pause and reconnect with their own inner landscapes. My goal is to forge a distinctive cross-cultural aesthetic that offers a deeper view into my world, while inviting others to look into theirs.