Dongjiang Granary × Artist Axash’s Work Shortlisted for Arte Laguna Prize

Young Artist——

Axash

     Axash Siging Zhang is an artist and researcher working across comparative mythology andanthropology. Her practice spans painting, installation, and narrative systems, constructingspeculative cosmologies that reinterpret mythological structures within contemporary contexts.

She received her BA and MA in Fine Art from the University of the Arts London.

She is the recipient of the Gold Prize at the Setouchi International Art & Design Competition (apan),the Outstanding Artwork Award in "Symbiotic Diversity" Contemporary Art Exhibition in New York andmultiple national art awards in China.

May painting and life remain vibrant by never rushing to be sealed away. Like the wind.

May reality and the soul transcend the farthest horizon the eye can see. Like the sea. 

Laguna International Art Prize

2026 ‒ The highly anticipated Arte Laguna Prize announced its shortlist, and the installation work Alternative Mountain N’ Sea: Mirage by artist Axash, sponsored by Dongjiang Granar Life & Art District (Boluo, Huizhou), has been officially selected. The work will be exhibited in the international group show at Arsenale Nord, Venice.

Known as the “Nobel Prize of the Art World”, the Arte Laguna Prize was founded in 2006 to discover and support emerging artistic voices globally, establishing itself as one of the most influential platforms in contemporary art. Inspired by the mythical “sea mirage” imagery from China’s ancient text Shanhaijing (The Classic of Mountains and Seas), the installation breaks the flat boundaries of traditional painting. By layering translucent gauze canvases, natural mineral powders, and light projections, the artist constructs an immersive space where reality and illusion intertwine, exploring the evolution and rebirth of mythological symbols in contemporary contexts.

Drawing on the optical properties of butterfly specimens, the work generates color not through conventional pigments, but through the refraction, reflection, and interference of light across layered materials. This “pigment-free color generation” concept resonates deeply with the core spirit of Dongjiang Granary’s transformation—both have grown new, unexpected vitality from old foundations.

As founder Liang Jinhui stated: “The rebirth of Dongjiang Granary is itself a mirage-like transformation, shifting from an industrial relic to a space of life and aesthetics. We supported this work precisely to let the cultural narrative of our local project be seen by the world through the language of international art. This shortlisting is not only a recognition of the artist’s creation but also a significant step for Dongjiang Granary onto the global art stage.”

The work will be on display at Arsenale Nord, Venice in 2026. Dongjiang Granary will continue to foster dialogue between local culture and international contemporary art, building a landmark of life aesthetics rooted in place yet with a global vision.