Zhang Dan was born in Beijing in 1967. Both of her parents were professors at the Central Academy of Design and Craft Arts (now known as Tsinghua University Art Academy). Art is in her blood.
Dan started painting at the age of 3. When she was five her paintings were being published in children’s magazines. At 10 she went to the Beijing Children’s Palace to study art. During this time her works were chosen and entered in many children’s art exhibitions in her homeland and also overseas, winning prizes throughout the world.
When she turned 17 Zhang Dan sat the exam and entered the middle school of the Fine Art Academy in Beijing. In 1988 she entered the Center of Fine Art Academy Folk Art Department, continuing her studies. She was the first student to exhibit her work (CAFA gallery, 1990) whilst still studying. Her paintings were beginning to be sought after by foreign art collectors and she also took part in the Beijing Youth art Exhibition in early 90’s. Dan’s graduation work ‘Tibetan Ceremony’ – a triptych – was praised by the school and one of the paintings was collected by CAFA in 1992.
After Zhang Dan graduated from CAFA in 1992 she received an invitation to exhibit her works at the Naprstko Museum of Prague in the Czech Republic. She then lived in Prague for 18 years. She has participated in exhibitions in the Czech and Slovak Republic and Germany.
In 2006 she was invited to present a solo exhibition at Lucerna gallery in the centre of Prague. The gallery is owned by the family of the former president Vaclav Havel and one of Dan’s paintings was collected by them. During the time she was living in the Czech Republic, Dan was interviewed by local and German media (TV, newspaper, magazine) many times. She has also provided her illustrations for the publication ‘I Qing’ published by Reader’s digest.
Zhang Dan has recently returned to the country of her birth, China, as a very unique, individual artist. She has exhibited at 798 and her works are now being sought by Chinese and overseas art collectors.