ILLUSTRATED:

In 1994 a friend of Zhou Chunya gave him a German Shepherd. It was named "Heigen" and the artist liked to sleep with the dog beside him on his bed. The image of "Heigen" began to constantly appear on the canvas and Zhou's close relationship with the dog saw it become his favorite painting theme.

Though "Heigen" was very dear to Zhou, when it passed away he could only rely on his memories to try and understand a life that had been so filled with vitality. With the actual object now beyond reach, the artist lets his brush wander and retrace through rough strokes his memories of "Heigen" – as if there was no longer room for the details though the color green continues to live on. The green color however itself becomes a symbol in the artist's abstract art. The dog's green body and red tongue embodies its speed and power in a stylized image structure, creating a paradox of the dynamic versus the static to hint at explosive energies unche cked yet not unleashed. By sculpting a unique form and using his own distinctive technique, the artist uses color to give shape to his beloved "Heigen". This symbolized the very "natural" and "original" lifestyle of the artist himself.