Louise Zhang 




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BattyZhang
Queen Mother of the West
N.Smith Gallery
12 September - 5 October

Installation documentation courtesy of N.Smith Gallery.
Photos by Jessica Maurer.

Louise Zhang’s Queen Mother of the West reclaims the aesthetics of oriental chinoiserie, conscious of how cultural symbols have been exoticized by Western cultures, transforming them again into a powerful medium of healing and self exploration as a Chinese Australian artist.

Like the immortal peach or the resilient water lily, their traditional meanings are re-interpreted in the contemporary context of Chinese diaspora and feelings of alienation within the third culture children experience. This act of reclamation serves not just as an artistic expression but as a healing process, reasserting her place within the cultural dialogue.

Special thanks to Dylan Batty, Kazu Noguchi Quill and Yuanyu Li.





Queen Mother of the West (Peaches), 2024, acrylic on linen, 1
52 x 121 cm
Lovers (Camellia), 2024, acrylic on linen, 66 x 35.5 cm
Dancing with Chance (Gingko and Butterfly), 2024, acrylic on polyester cotton canvas, 76 x 55 cm
Tapestry: Peony and Pearl, 2024, acrylic on linen, 101 x 60 cm
Ancestral Harmony (Peach), 2024, acrylic on linen, 66 x 35 cm
Ancestral Light (Lotus), 2024, acrylic on polyester cotton canvas, 50 x 40 cm
Perseverance, 2024, acrylic on polyester cotton canvas, 
50 x 40 cm
Renewal (Water Lily), 2024, acrylic on polyester cotton canvas, 
76 x 55 cm
Weaving Remembrance (Lotus leaves and Peony), 2024, acrylic on linen, 60 x 101 cm
Longevity and Vitality (Peaches), 2024, acrylic on linen, 60 x 101 cm
Healing Towards Transformation (Chrysanthemum and Butterfly), 2024, acrylic on linen, 101 x 120 cm
Stone of Harmony (Lillies), Installation view
I acknowledge the Bidjigal and Gadigal People as the Traditional Owners of the land on which I live and work.  I pay my respect to their Elders past and present.