Xiaodong Zhang's Solo Exhibition Recluse at London's Upsilon Gallery Features Revived Dragon-Scale Binding

Artist Xiaodong Zhang recently held his solo exhibition titled Recluse at Upsilon Gallery in London's Mayfair district. The presentation showcases his ongoing Thousand-Page Art series, which builds upon his revival of the Tang Dynasty Dragon-Scale Binding technique—a craft he spent thirteen years reconstructing. Following this foundational work, Zhang created his first dragon scale book, Thirty-Two Seal Script Diamond Sutra, over two and a half years. His artistic practice has since evolved to include forms like Jinglong binding and the Thousand-Page Art method, which layers thousands of handmade Xuan paper sheets using paper-sculpting techniques. The exhibition highlights pieces from his Dunhuang series, including Dunhuang Archives Cave 220, which employs traditional Buddhist compositional elements. Zhang's work was recognized as a finalist for the 2025 LOEWE FOUNDATION Craft Prize. The exhibition is supported by LUMINOR and represents a more comprehensive view of his artistic development than previous presentations. Zhang's approach reconsiders connections between books, spatial arrangements, temporal experience, and observation. The concept of seclusion in the exhibition's theme relates to introspection and sustained personal development, contrasting with contemporary fast-paced visual culture. His techniques create dimensional effects where images shift with viewer movement and air currents, producing illusions that reference Buddhist teachings about perception and reality.