Zhang Jingna
Zhang Jingna (simplified Chinese: 张晶娜; traditional Chinese: 張晶娜; pinyin: Zhāng Jīngnà; born 4 May 1988 in Beijing) is a Chinese-Singaporean photographer widely known as "zemotion." Her works have appeared on multiple editions of Vogue, Elle and Harper's Bazaar[1]. She was named on the Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia list 2018.[2]
Zhang Jingna | |
---|---|
Born | Beijing, People's Republic of China | 4 May 1988
Nationality | Singapore |
Education | LASALLE College of the Arts (dropped out) |
Style | Photography |
Awards | 2018 Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia 2015 7th Julia Margaret Cameron Award for Women Photographers Recipient 2011 Photographer of the Year, Elle Awards, Singapore |
Website | zhangjingna |
Biography
Early life, air rifle
Zhang was born in the suburbs of Beijing to a sporting family. She moved to Singapore at the age of eight, where she attended Haig Girls' School. At the age of fourteen, Zhang enrolled in Raffles Girls' School, where she began training in air rifle. She broke her first national record after nine months and subsequently joined the national team.[3] She was active in the team for six years.
Zhang's notable achievements within the sport include breaking a record in the 10m Air Rifle event at the Commonwealth Shooting Championships 2005 in Melbourne, and a bronze in the same event at the Commonwealth Games in 2006.[4] She was awarded Sports Girl of the Year 2006 by the Singapore National Olympic Council for her performances.[5]
Art school and photography
Zhang declined the option to go on to junior college for A Levels and pursued a degree in fashion design at LASALLE College of the Arts.[3] She picked up photography there as a hobby when she was eighteen.[6] Probably due to her keen interest and achievements with the medium, she left Lasalle and the national team to pursue photography full-time in 2008.[3]
Zhang's clientele since then include Mercedes Benz,[7] Canon,[8] Pond's, Ogilvy & Mather Advertising and Wacom.[9] She also produced fashion editorials for magazines such as Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, and Elle.[1]
In fall 2008, Zhang held her first solo exhibition, "Something Beautiful", at The Arts House in Singapore.[10] In 2010, 50 of her works were showcased along Orchard Road during Singapore's fashion festival – Fashion Seasons @ Orchard. It was Singapore's first large scale street exhibition featuring fashion photography.[11]
In late 2010, Zhang announced her second gallery exhibition, "Angel Dreams". The show was held at Japan Creative Centre in Singapore with the support of Embassy of Japan.[12] The event was noted for her photographs of Japanese musician Sugizo (Luna Sea, X Japan).
In 2013 she was selected to be part of Vogue Italia's "A Glimpse at Photo Vogue" exhibition at Galleria Carla Sozzani in Milan.[13]
Zhang is influenced by people such as Peter Lindbergh, John William Waterhouse, Yoshitaka Amano and Zdzisław Beksiński.[14] She also cites her friend Kuang Hong, a fellow artist, as one of the influences to her early artistic development.[6]
Motherland Chronicles
In 2013 Zhang started a personal project entitled "Motherland Chronicles". With the project she sought to explore subjects she loved during her childhood, including themes from anime, manga, and Japanese fantasy art. The project is intended for publication as an art book in 2014.[15]
Collaborations, other interests
Zhang photographed Sugizo multiple times in 2009 and 2010.[16] She also shot his band Luna Sea's 20th Anniversary World Tour in Tokyo Dome in 2010. Her photographs of Sugizo from the collaborations and concerts are collected in his book Ongaku ni ai sareta otoko: Sono haran no hansei (音楽に愛された男。その波乱の半生), the cover features an image from their first collaboration in Japan.
In 2011 Zhang photographed Korean celebrity Rain for Anchor Beer's campaign in Seoul.[17]
Zhang also worked with cosplayer Alodia Gosiengfiao.[18] They collaborated on a tribute piece to Japanese artist and illustrator Yoshitaka Amano.[19]
From 2011–2013, Zhang owned and managed a semi-professional Starcraft 2 team called Infinity Seven. Formed in February 2011, Infinity Seven members now compete at top level tournaments for major prizes in cash, sponsorships, as well as online glory and attention from the online gaming community.[20]
Awards
2018 Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia, Arts[2]
2017 Gold, Portraiture, Px3 Prix de la Photographie, Paris[21]
2015 Recipient, 7th Julia Margaret Cameron Award for Women Photographers[22]
2013 Young Photographer of the Year, Mobius Awards[23]
2013 Best Beauty/Glamor Photographer, FRAMED Awards, Las Vegas, USA[24]
2012 Honorable Mention in Fine Art: Portraits, Fine Art: Nudes, and Advertising: Fashion, International Photography Awards[25]
2011 Photographer of the Year, Elle Awards, Singapore[26]
2009 3rd Place Fine Art: Nudes, International Photography Awards[27]
2009 3rd Place Advertising: Catalogue, International Photography Awards[27]
2008 Overseas Fashion & Press Photographer of the Year, British Professional Photography Awards, Newcastle, UK[28]
2007 Master Photographer of the Year, Singapore Master Photographer Print Competition, Singapore[10]
2006 Sportsgirl of the Year, Singapore Sports Award, Singapore[5]
Exhibitions
Solo Exhibitions
2017 PURE, Hjo Culture Center, Sweden[29]
2010 Angel Dreams, Japan Creative Center, Singapore, 29 May – 18 June 2010[30]
2010 Fashion Season @ Orchard Street Exhibition, Orchard Road, Singapore, 2 Apr – 9 May 2010[11]
2008 Something Beautiful, The Arts House, Singapore, 12 – 23 Sep 2008[10]
Group Exhibitions
2013 Vogue Italia: "A Glimpse at Photo Vogue", Galleria Carla Sozzani, Milan, 13 June-10 Aug 2013[13]
2012 Harper’s BAZAAR: “Fashion in Focus: Asia Modern”, The Gardens Mall, Kuala Lumpur, 4–25 July 2012
2012 Clé de Peau Beauté “Art de La Radiance” 30th Year Anniversary Celebration Exhibition, Artistree, Hong Kong, 12 April 2012
2010 Harper's BAZAAR: "Spectacular Sights", ION Orchard, Singapore, 16 Jul – 7 August 2010
2010 Yangon Photo Festival, Alliance Fraicaise, Yangon, 26 Feb – 6 March 2010
Books
- Something Beautiful (2008, ISBN 978-981-08-1309-3)
- Zhang Jingna Postcard Collection (2009, ISBN 978-981-08-3810-2)
References
- "Jingna Zhang - Photographer". MODELS.com. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
- "30 Under 30 Asia 2018: The Arts". Forbes. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
- "To give up fame and glory for a dream". Youth.SG. Archived from the original on 28 February 2010. Retrieved 12 August 2019.
- "Melbourne 2006". Singapore National Olympic Council. Archived from the original on 19 May 2015. Retrieved 13 August 2014.
- "Sportsgirl of the Year". Singapore National Olympic Council. Archived from the original on 4 July 2012.
- "Zhang Jingna on Fashion Photography and deviantART". Out of Order Magazine.
- "Mercedes Benz – Portraits".
- "Canon: Be Empowered – Behind the Scenes Interview". February 2010.
- "Intuos4_Beauty". Wacom.
- "Something Beautiful, a photography exhibition by Zhang Jingna". The Arts House.
- "Fashion Season @ Orchard 2010 – A Whole New Fashion Experience". Singapore Press Holdings.
- "Events supported by the Embassy of Japan, Singapore – Archive".
- "A Glimpse at Photo Vogue". Vogue.it.
- "Melancholy as an Aesthetic Emotion". DesignTAXI. 2009.
- "Where Fashion Meets Japanese Fantasy and StarCraft II". Kotaku.
- "月下の神託". Fool's Mate. 348: 64–71. October 2010.
- "Anchor Beer picks Rain as brand Ambassador". Campaign Asia. August 2011.
- "Alodia Gosiengfiao". Yahoo! Philippines.
- "Untitled Amano Girl – Alodia Gosingfiao". zhangjingna.com.
- http://liquipedia.net/starcraft2/Infinity_Seven
- "PX3 - Winners". px3.fr. Retrieved 26 June 2017.
- "7th JMCA AWARDEES". Gala Awards Gallery (in Spanish). Retrieved 26 June 2017.
- "Mobius Awards 2013". Mobius Awards. Archived from the original on 13 August 2014. Retrieved 13 August 2014.
- "[FRAMED] Award Winners". [F] Network. Archived from the original on 16 July 2014. Retrieved 13 August 2014.
- "International Photography Awards 2012 Honorable Mentions". Lucie Foundation. Archived from the original on 2 October 2015. Retrieved 13 August 2014.
- "Elle Recognizes "Showbiz Best"". Channel NewsAsia. 17 November 2011. Archived from the original on 13 August 2014. Retrieved 13 August 2014.
- "2009 IPA Winner's Gallery". Lucie Foundation. Archived from the original on 17 October 2013.
- "British Professional Photography Awards 2008". Master Photographers Association. Archived from the original on 29 November 2014. Retrieved 13 August 2014.
- "Pure - Jingna Zhang". UpOnWalls (in Swedish). Retrieved 8 April 2018.
- "Angel Dreams – A Photography Exhibition by Zhang Jingna". Archived from the original on 12 August 2010.