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Illustration

Hao Zhang

about-Hao Zhang

My name is Hao Zhang. I am an independent illustrator, photographer and calligrapher from China. Currently I am living in London and illustration is my major. For the past fifteen years my master — Zhang (水墨山人) — and I devoted ourselves to the study of traditional Chinese calligraphy and painting. After this training, I began working in the field of illustration, and have developed my practice over time.

At the same time as developing my illustration practice I also determined my sexual orientation. I am gay, and I am fighting for more benefits and rights for vulnerable groups such as gay people, through my many series' of works, using illustration as a way to communicate my ideas to an audience. I hope to express my enthusiasm for this goal to as wide a range of audiences as possible, through my artworks.

Show Location: Battersea campus: Studio Building, Ground floor

Hao Zhang-statement

The title of this series of works is: Succuba, Knight and Monsterflower

The project consists of a visual discussion (through illustrations), of my emerging sense of self-identity, and the process of my coming to acceptance of the female character that I hide in my dual personality. I am also attempting to express some of the struggles I have experienced around my sexual orientation. This project is adapted from my own fictional novel which is titled “A Girl Who Fell in Love With a Monsterflower”. The novel includes four characters. They are the Monsterflower, Succuba, Knight and Zombie.

My sense of the words 'sexual orientation' involves a mixture of excitement and fear. It’s as energetic as psychedelic electronic dance music, but at the same time it also makes me feel confused and anxious. The word 'homosexuality' gives me a sense of 'unrealness'.

I am constantly thinking about the influence of factors which have influenced my feelings but being gay, such as my upbringing, my background, national policies in China, etc. This involves a process of revisiting my changes, from a more mature perspective, not just physically, but also mentally and psychologically.

This series of illustrations consists of three books. They are 魔界花(01), 魔界花(02), 魔界花(03)
This series of illustrations consists of three books. They are 魔界花(01), 魔界花(02), 魔界花(03) – The three book covers/bindings are made of dark red linen fabric. I have also designed the cover stickers, I hope to express Chinese elements through the design. Simple yet exotic is the design language I want to express. (这本书由暗红色亚麻面料制作而成，我同样设计了封面的贴纸。我希望表达出中式的元素，简洁却又充满异域风情是我想诉说的设计语言。)

Medium:

paper, hardboard, linen

Warning: This work contains mature or explicit content.

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Book- Succuba, Knight and Monsterflower- Part-01
Book- Succuba, Knight and Monsterflower- Part-01
Parasitism
Parasitism – This work depicts the process by which zombies are parasitized by Monsterflowers. When the monsterflower absorbs the zombie's bodily fluids and forms a complete cocoon, the spores will multiply in large quantities inside the cocoon. (这个作品描述了僵尸被魔界花寄生的过程。当魔界花吸收了僵尸的体液并形成完整的茧，孢子就会在茧内大量的繁殖。)
This illustration shows a folded design, with the book. On the outside is a cocoon formed by the Monsterflower, and when it is opened, you can see the roots of the Monsterflower and the corpse of a wo
This illustration shows a folded design, with the book. On the outside is a cocoon formed by the Monsterflower, and when it is opened, you can see the roots of the Monsterflower and the corpse of a woman. (这幅插画是折叠的设计。外面是魔界花形成的茧。当它被打开之后，你可以看到魔界花的根部和一个干枯的女人的尸体。)
The concept of zombie(僵尸的概念设计)
The concept of zombie(僵尸的概念设计) – When humans are infected with the spores of the Monsterflower, they will become zombies. When the Monsterflower matures, its hyphae will grow out of the zombie's body and control the zombie's brain, and the plant's form will slowly unfold. (当人类被魔界花的孢子感染，他们会变成僵尸。当魔界花成熟之后，它的菌丝会从僵尸的体内长出来并且控制僵尸的身体和大脑，植物的形象会慢慢显现。)

Warning: This work contains mature or explicit content.

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Book- Succuba, Knight and Monsterflower- Part-02
Book- Succuba, Knight and Monsterflower- Part-02
Book 2: Mature Morphology and Pathological Manifestations of the Characters, media item 2
From left to right are Knight, Succuba. (从左到右依次是：骑士，魔女)
From left to right are Knight, Succuba. (从左到右依次是：骑士，魔女) – The Monsterflower symbolizes external pressures and personal hurts or universal values. All of these factors will subconsciously influence every decision I make. They will stop me from being what I want to be. (魔界花象征着外界的压力和伤害，或者是普世价值观的体现。所有的因素都会持续不断的影响我做的每一个决定。他会阻止我成为我想成为的人。)
From left to right are Zombie, Monsterflower. (从左到右依次是: 僵尸，魔界花)
From left to right are Zombie, Monsterflower. (从左到右依次是: 僵尸，魔界花) – The propagation methods of the Monsterflower are asexual reproduction and cutting propagation. When it parasitises on a zombie, It can spread through the zombie's sexual behaviour. Like a virus, it spreads hyphae into the body of another zombie. At the same time, it can also reproduce itself through spores. (魔界花作为植物的繁殖方式是无性繁殖和扦插繁殖。当它寄生在僵尸身上时，它可以通过僵尸的性行为传播。就像病毒一样将菌丝传播到另一只僵尸的体内。与此同时，它同样可以通过孢子进行繁殖。)
The germination process of the seeds of the Monsterflower(step1+2))
The germination process of the seeds of the Monsterflower(step1+2))
The germination process of the seeds of the Monsterflower(step3+4))
The germination process of the seeds of the Monsterflower(step3+4))
Book 2: Mature Morphology and Pathological Manifestations of the Characters, media item 7
Book 2: Mature Morphology and Pathological Manifestations of the Characters, media item 8

Warning: This work contains mature or explicit content.

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Book- Succuba, Knight and Monsterflower- Part-03
Book- Succuba, Knight and Monsterflower- Part-03
Book 3: Death, Rebirth and Parasitism Between Interactions, media item 2
In this image a monster carries a child on his back, and this child symbolizes my original blank mind. Where it will go, becomes the question. This direction will determine how my personality is built
In this image a monster carries a child on his back, and this child symbolizes my original blank mind. Where it will go, becomes the question. This direction will determine how my personality is built and whether it will become extreme. (这幅图描述了一个怪物背着一个小孩，这个小孩象征着我最初的空白的思想。而他们会去哪里这成了一个问题。这将会决定我的性格是怎样被建造的，它是否会更加的极端化。)
(left picture: Succuba/ right: Zombie） She is the female character of my personality. She has been fighting against the outside world just like I have been struggling inside. I shouldn’t feel ashamed
(left picture: Succuba/ right: Zombie） She is the female character of my personality. She has been fighting against the outside world just like I have been struggling inside. I shouldn’t feel ashamed of the feminine side of men. I should learn to accept my complete self. In the story, she escapes from the devildom and exists in the knight’s body as a part of his spirit. (她是我性格中的女性角色。她一直以来都在同外界抗争就像我一直在内部挣扎。我不应该再为女性化的自己感到羞耻。我应该学着接受完整的自己。因此在故事中，她逃离了魔界，并在骑士的身体里存在并成为他精神的一部分。）
The knight symbolizes my real body and my male personality. He has trying to find his identity and the space he belongs to. At first, he lives in the Serbian desert. The choice of the Serbian desert c
The knight symbolizes my real body and my male personality. He has trying to find his identity and the space he belongs to. At first, he lives in the Serbian desert. The choice of the Serbian desert comes from the old legend of Serbia, which records the contents of the undead people and the knights who form the teams working on hunting zombies. (骑士代表着我的真实的身体和我的男性性格。他尝试找到他的定位和属于他的空间。起初，他住在塞尔维亚沙漠。关于塞尔维亚沙漠地点的选择，它是来源于塞尔维亚的一段古老传说。它记录着不死人和骑士。骑士团队一直致力于狩猎僵尸。）
Book 3: Death, Rebirth and Parasitism Between Interactions, media item 6
Book 3: Death, Rebirth and Parasitism Between Interactions, media item 7
Book 3: Death, Rebirth and Parasitism Between Interactions, media item 8
Book 3: Death, Rebirth and Parasitism Between Interactions, media item 9
The Process of Creating the Work, posters, words, sketches
The Process of Creating the Work, posters, words, sketches
The Process of Creating the Work, posters, words, sketches
The Process of Creating the Work, posters, words, sketches
The Process of Creating the Work, posters, words, sketches
The Process of Creating the Work, posters, words, sketches
The design of this series is inspired by the rolling desert mountains. As the main character, the knight originated in the deserts of Serbia, and there is a legend that an army of knights hunts zombie
The design of this series is inspired by the rolling desert mountains. As the main character, the knight originated in the deserts of Serbia, and there is a legend that an army of knights hunts zombies. I hope that my works not only include illustrations, but also show overall structure and convey an atmosphere of beauty. (这个系列的装帧设计灵感来源于起伏的沙漠山脉。骑士作为主要的角色，他起源于塞尔维亚的沙漠，在传说中有一支骑士部队在狩猎僵尸。我希望我的作品不仅仅是插画，还要有整体的结构和氛围的美感。)
The Process of Creating the Work, posters, words, sketches
The Process of Creating the Work, posters, words, sketches

Medium:

posters, words, sketches

Warning: This work contains mature or explicit content.

Click to Enter

Independent Illustrations, media item 1
Independent Illustrations, media item 2
Independent Illustrations, media item 3
Independent Illustrations, media item 4
Independent Illustrations, media item 5
Independent Illustrations, media item 6
Independent Illustrations, media item 7
Independent Illustrations, media item 8
Independent Illustrations, media item 9
Independent Illustrations, media item 10

This work was intended to express a kind of mental control and oppression. I wanted the scene to be as twisted and quirky as purgatory. The whole atmosphere is filled with struggle and suffering.

(作品意在表达一种精神上的控制和压迫。我希望这个场景像炼狱一样扭曲和古怪。整个气氛都充满了挣扎和痛苦。)

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Royal College of Art

Registered Office: Royal College of Art,
Kensington Gore, South Kensington,
London SW7 2EU