Alexandre Zhu (b. 1993) is a French-Chinese artist who grew up between Shanghai and Paris. He studied at the École nationale supérieure des Arts Décoratifs (Paris) and the School of Visual Arts (NY).
Working primarily with charcoal drawing, Alexandre Zhu develops intricate compositions through a meticulous and time-consuming process that merges observation and introspection. His practice explores themes of memory, displacement and cultural belonging, informed by his experience within the Chinese diaspora and the shifting environments of his upbringing. Depicting both natural and constructed landscapes as well as intimate details of close individuals, his works employ a subtle visual language that situates images in a liminal space—between intimacy and distance, presence and absence, permanence and erosion—while opening onto both personal and collective narratives.
Laureate of the Pierre David-Weill’s Académie des Beaux-Arts Drawing Prize (2021) and Prix Dauphine Contemporary (2022), he was selected for the Artpress Biennale (2022). In 2024, he was nominated as a finalist for the K11 Art Foundation Prize. His work has been shown in various galleries, fairs and institutions, such as Victoria Miro (Venice IT), Altman Siegel (San Francisco, US), Gallery Vacancy (Art Basel, Frieze, Paris Internationale), Zhi Museum (Chengdu, CN), MO.CO (Montpellier, FR).
Working primarily with charcoal drawing, Alexandre Zhu develops intricate compositions through a meticulous and time-consuming process that merges observation and introspection. His practice explores themes of memory, displacement and cultural belonging, informed by his experience within the Chinese diaspora and the shifting environments of his upbringing. Depicting both natural and constructed landscapes as well as intimate details of close individuals, his works employ a subtle visual language that situates images in a liminal space—between intimacy and distance, presence and absence, permanence and erosion—while opening onto both personal and collective narratives.
Laureate of the Pierre David-Weill’s Académie des Beaux-Arts Drawing Prize (2021) and Prix Dauphine Contemporary (2022), he was selected for the Artpress Biennale (2022). In 2024, he was nominated as a finalist for the K11 Art Foundation Prize. His work has been shown in various galleries, fairs and institutions, such as Victoria Miro (Venice IT), Altman Siegel (San Francisco, US), Gallery Vacancy (Art Basel, Frieze, Paris Internationale), Zhi Museum (Chengdu, CN), MO.CO (Montpellier, FR).
︎︎︎ SOLO EXHIBITIONS
︎︎︎ Forthcoming 2027
. Fondazione Bonollo, Thiene, IT
︎︎︎ 2024
. Paris Internationale (solo presentation), Gallery Vacancy, Paris, FR
︎︎︎ SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
︎︎︎ 2025
. Frieze Seoul (group), Gallery Vacancy, Seoul, KR
. Casual Time (group), Altman Siegel, San Francisco, US
. Art Basel Hong Kong (group), Gallery Vacancy, Hong Kong, HK
. Chiaroscuro, A Century of Charcoal (group), Victoria Miro Gallery, Venice, IT
. Takes on the Sublime (group), Night Café Gallery, London, UK
︎︎︎ 2024
. The Salon by NADA & the Community (group), Night Cafe Gallery, Paris, FR
. SWAB (group), Silica Contemporary, Barcelona, ES
. Augmented Paris : The New International Art Scene (group), Zhi Museum, Chengdu, CN
. Inventory (group), Galerie John Ferrère, Paris, FR
︎︎︎ 2023
. L’image en creux (group), Espace 100ECS, Culturfoundry, cur. E. Hatt, Paris, FR
. Suite n°1, (group), Galerie John Ferrère, Paris, FR
. À marée basse (group), Galerie BAQ, Paris, FR
. There is no lonesome wave (group), La Coupole, Poush, Aubervilliers, FR
. One piece (group), Galerie Valérie Delaunay, Paris, FR
. Y (group), Galerie Bertrand Grimont, Paris, FR
︎︎︎ 2022
. Biennale Artpress (group), MOCO/Musée Fabre, Montpellier, FR
. Prix Dauphine pour l’Art Contemporain (group), Le Sample, Bagnolet, FR
. À voir absolument II (group), H Gallery, Paris, FR
︎︎︎ 2021
. Prix Pierre David Weill, Académie des Beaux-Arts, Paris, FR
. Le Soleil se lève aussi (group), Un-Spaced gallery, at Manifesta, Lyon, FR
︎︎︎ 2020
. L’Écho du Silence (group), Espace 16K, Culturfoundry, Kremlin-Bicêtre, FR
. Instable (duo-show), Galerie du Crous, Paris, FR
︎︎︎ 2019
. Emerging Lines (group), Galeria Neon, Academy of Arts, Wroclaw, PL
. Low Res - Matérialisations primitives (group), Espace rue de Tanger, Casablanca, MA
︎︎︎ 2018
. MAD (Multiple Art Days), group, La Monnaie de Paris, Paris, FR
. Graduation solo, ENSAD, Paris, FR
︎︎︎ Forthcoming 2027
. Fondazione Bonollo, Thiene, IT
︎︎︎ 2024
. Paris Internationale (solo presentation), Gallery Vacancy, Paris, FR
︎︎︎ SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
︎︎︎ 2025
. Frieze Seoul (group), Gallery Vacancy, Seoul, KR
. Casual Time (group), Altman Siegel, San Francisco, US
. Art Basel Hong Kong (group), Gallery Vacancy, Hong Kong, HK
. Chiaroscuro, A Century of Charcoal (group), Victoria Miro Gallery, Venice, IT
. Takes on the Sublime (group), Night Café Gallery, London, UK
︎︎︎ 2024
. The Salon by NADA & the Community (group), Night Cafe Gallery, Paris, FR
. SWAB (group), Silica Contemporary, Barcelona, ES
. Augmented Paris : The New International Art Scene (group), Zhi Museum, Chengdu, CN
. Inventory (group), Galerie John Ferrère, Paris, FR
︎︎︎ 2023
. L’image en creux (group), Espace 100ECS, Culturfoundry, cur. E. Hatt, Paris, FR
. Suite n°1, (group), Galerie John Ferrère, Paris, FR
. À marée basse (group), Galerie BAQ, Paris, FR
. There is no lonesome wave (group), La Coupole, Poush, Aubervilliers, FR
. One piece (group), Galerie Valérie Delaunay, Paris, FR
. Y (group), Galerie Bertrand Grimont, Paris, FR
︎︎︎ 2022
. Biennale Artpress (group), MOCO/Musée Fabre, Montpellier, FR
. Prix Dauphine pour l’Art Contemporain (group), Le Sample, Bagnolet, FR
. À voir absolument II (group), H Gallery, Paris, FR
︎︎︎ 2021
. Prix Pierre David Weill, Académie des Beaux-Arts, Paris, FR
. Le Soleil se lève aussi (group), Un-Spaced gallery, at Manifesta, Lyon, FR
︎︎︎ 2020
. L’Écho du Silence (group), Espace 16K, Culturfoundry, Kremlin-Bicêtre, FR
. Instable (duo-show), Galerie du Crous, Paris, FR
︎︎︎ 2019
. Emerging Lines (group), Galeria Neon, Academy of Arts, Wroclaw, PL
. Low Res - Matérialisations primitives (group), Espace rue de Tanger, Casablanca, MA
︎︎︎ 2018
. MAD (Multiple Art Days), group, La Monnaie de Paris, Paris, FR
. Graduation solo, ENSAD, Paris, FR
︎︎︎ STUDIES
2018 École Nationale Supérieure des Arts Décoratifs de Paris, FR
2016 School of Visual Art (Fine Art), New York, USA
︎︎︎ RESIDENCIES / DISTINCTIONS
2024 K11 Foundation Prize, Finalist, HK
2022 POUSH studios Residency, Aubervilliers, FR
2022 Artpress Biennale selection / MOCO, Musée Fabre, Montpellier, FR
2022 Dauphine Contemporary Art Prize 2022, Laureate, Paris, FR
2021 Prix Carré sur Seine 2021, Finalist, Paris, FR
2021 Prix Pierre David Weill, Laureate, Académie des Beaux-Arts, Paris, FR
2018 Création Émergente, Galerie du Crous, selected artist, Paris, FR
2018 Fondation Bettencourt-Schueller scholarship, Paris, FR
︎︎︎COLLECTIONS
Fondazione Bonollo (Venice, Italy), Huawei (Shanghai, China), Manifesto (Paris, France), X Museum (Beijing, China)
︎︎︎ PRESS
︎︎︎ https://www.roborantreview.com/reviews/casual-time-altman-siegel-san-francisco
︎︎︎ https://www.fineartgroup.com/artist-spotlight-alexandre-zhu/
︎︎︎ https://www.lemonde.fr/culture/article/2024/10/18/art-basel-paris-quatorze-lieux-a-visiter-autour-de-la-foire-d-art-contemporain_6354764_3246.html
︎︎︎https://www.beauxarts.com/expos/foires-off-nos-plus-belles-decouvertes-2024-dasia-now-akaa-offscreen-et-paris-internationale/
︎︎︎ https://www.galleryvacancy.com/paris-internationale-2024-alexandre-zhu-press-release.html
︎︎︎ https://www.k11artfoundation.org/en/article/k11-artist-prize-winner-announcement
︎︎︎https://aca-project.fr/aca-project-x-koi-5-french-asian-artists/
︎︎︎https://www.artpress.com/2022/05/20/zhu-alexandre/︎︎︎https://www.lequotidiendelart.com/articles/21681-dauphine-nomme-ses-finalistes.html
︎︎︎https://www.academiedesbeauxarts.fr/laureats-des-prix-de-dessin-pierre-david-weill-2021
2018 École Nationale Supérieure des Arts Décoratifs de Paris, FR
2016 School of Visual Art (Fine Art), New York, USA
︎︎︎ RESIDENCIES / DISTINCTIONS
2024 K11 Foundation Prize, Finalist, HK
2022 POUSH studios Residency, Aubervilliers, FR
2022 Artpress Biennale selection / MOCO, Musée Fabre, Montpellier, FR
2022 Dauphine Contemporary Art Prize 2022, Laureate, Paris, FR
2021 Prix Carré sur Seine 2021, Finalist, Paris, FR
2021 Prix Pierre David Weill, Laureate, Académie des Beaux-Arts, Paris, FR
2018 Création Émergente, Galerie du Crous, selected artist, Paris, FR
2018 Fondation Bettencourt-Schueller scholarship, Paris, FR
︎︎︎COLLECTIONS
Fondazione Bonollo (Venice, Italy), Huawei (Shanghai, China), Manifesto (Paris, France), X Museum (Beijing, China)
︎︎︎ PRESS
︎︎︎ https://www.roborantreview.com/reviews/casual-time-altman-siegel-san-francisco
︎︎︎ https://www.fineartgroup.com/artist-spotlight-alexandre-zhu/
︎︎︎ https://www.lemonde.fr/culture/article/2024/10/18/art-basel-paris-quatorze-lieux-a-visiter-autour-de-la-foire-d-art-contemporain_6354764_3246.html
︎︎︎https://www.beauxarts.com/expos/foires-off-nos-plus-belles-decouvertes-2024-dasia-now-akaa-offscreen-et-paris-internationale/
︎︎︎ https://www.galleryvacancy.com/paris-internationale-2024-alexandre-zhu-press-release.html
︎︎︎ https://www.k11artfoundation.org/en/article/k11-artist-prize-winner-announcement
︎︎︎https://aca-project.fr/aca-project-x-koi-5-french-asian-artists/
︎︎︎https://www.artpress.com/2022/05/20/zhu-alexandre/︎︎︎https://www.lequotidiendelart.com/articles/21681-dauphine-nomme-ses-finalistes.html
︎︎︎https://www.academiedesbeauxarts.fr/laureats-des-prix-de-dessin-pierre-david-weill-2021