Zhang Huan

Born in 1965 in China's rural Henan Province, Zhang Huan was part of Beijing's East Village community in the 1990s, whose performance pieces would eventually mark him as a critical figure in the history of contemporary art in China. Zhang is known primarily for performance art that focuses on universal themes such as poverty, individual freedom and cultural differences. Zhang's recent work has featured sculptures and paintings that explore themes of memory and spirituality and how these relate to Buddhist practice. In the eighteenth episode of Brilliant Ideas, brought to you by Bloomberg and Hyundai Motor, we meet Zhang in his huge Shanghai studio.