Gazing at a Waterfall, 2023
Resin, stone, water, glass, incense, smoke, water pump, atomizer, and paint
42 x  26 x 61” & 16 x 10 x 30”

Gazing at a Waterfall is an installation of mountain forms painted in shades of blue, green, and turquoise. A fountain resembling a rocky outcrop emits mist, while waterfall incense streams down two sculpted peaks. In feng shui, the entrance of a home is considered the "mouth of qi"—a point through which energy, opportunities, and fortune enter. Water fountains are often placed near entrances to attract positive qi and are therefore commonly found in businesses, offices, spas, and other spaces that seek to evoke prosperity, vitality, tranquility, and well-being.

The work draws from Zhang's memories of encountering these fountains in East Asian spaces across North America, her visit to Mount Lu, and the vivid landscapes of Chinese animated films such as Calabash Brothers (1986), Havoc in Heaven (1961), and Nezha Conquers the Dragon King (1979). Through the visual language of kitsch décor, the installation reimagines blue-green shan shui—an style of Chinese landscape painting known for its luminous mineral pigments—as a sculptural environment. By incorporating mass-produced materials, artificial rock formations, and decorative landscape imagery, the work considers these forms as symbolic echoes of mountains, waterfalls, and natural forces, examining how landscapes persist through imitation, repetition, and simulation.

Installation images by Darren Rigo.