Zhang Hongbin

Zhang Hongbin — Chief Curator, Le Venezie International Watercolor Festival | Initiator of Cross-Cultural Art Projects

Zhang Hongbin is the founder of Sheng Xinyu Art and a long-standing figure in the international art world, dedicated to advancing cultural and artistic exchange between China and the West and to the development of contemporary figurative art. His work is centered on fostering the international participation of Chinese artists and promoting cross-cultural dialogue within a global context.

Over more than two decades, Zhang has continuously conceived and organized international art projects, with a particular focus on building exchange platforms that connect the Chinese art ecosystem with those of Europe and the Americas. In practice, this has taken two complementary forms: on one hand, supporting Chinese artists in participating in international exhibitions and competitions, expanding their visibility and access to professional evaluation within the global art world; on the other, introducing established Western exhibition models and jury systems to facilitate the alignment of China's domestic art environment with international standards.

The international art projects he has initiated include the Velázquez Painting and Sculpture Competition, the Titian Portrait Competition, and the Le Venezie International Watercolor Festival — forming an interconnected platform for international exchange centered on figurative art. Beyond fostering dialogue between artistic practices, these initiatives have created sustained mechanisms for conversation among artists from diverse cultural backgrounds.

Within the international professional community, Zhang Hongbin serves as Ambassador of the Art Renewal Center (ARC) and Ambassador of the American Society of Portrait Artists (ASOPA). He has also been invited to serve as a juror for a number of international art competitions, including the Belgian Figurative Painting Competition, the Spanish Almería Prize, and the Target Painting Competition.

His research and practice are primarily focused on three areas: the contemporary transformation of figurative art, cross-cultural comparison of art evaluation systems, and the evolving role of art institutions in an era of globalization. Through curating, writing, and project organization, he continues to advance artistic understanding and collaboration across different cultural contexts.