Yiran Zhang's 'WARWORK' Examines War's Aftermath at 67 York Street Gallery

exhibition · 2026-08-26

Yiran Zhang, a versatile artist and a graduate of the Royal College of Art in 2024, is showcasing 'WARWORK: We Will Return One Day' at the 67 York Street Gallery in London. This exhibition follows his RCA graduate show, 'Fortified Nihility,' and explores the impact of war on communities, emphasizing themes of displacement, memory, and absence. Utilizing historical research and materials such as rice paper, graphite, and sandbags, Zhang presents significant pieces like 'Spectral Remnants' (2025), 'Strewn Field' (2026), and 'Waiting, Still' (2026). 'Strewn Field' incorporates fumage on archival documents, while 'Waiting, Still' merges graphite frottage with sandbags. The exhibition draws connections to Imber and Tyneham, which were evacuated during WWII, and is curated by Lee Sharrock, inviting contemplation on the enduring effects of war.

Key facts

Yiran Zhang graduated from the Royal College of Art in 2024.
His exhibition 'WARWORK: We Will Return One Day' is at 67 York Street Gallery in London.
The exhibition references the English villages of Imber and Tyneham, evacuated during WWII.
Works include 'Spectral Remnants' (2025), 'Strewn Field' (2026), and 'Waiting, Still' (2026).
Zhang uses materials like rice paper, graphite, fumage, archival documents, and sandbags.
His practice is compared to artists like Cai Guo-Qiang, Yoko Ono, Ai Weiwei, and Cornelia Parker.
The text for the exhibition was written by Lee Sharrock.
Zhang's work focuses on absence and the psychological imprints of war.

Entities

Artists

Institutions

Royal College of Art
67 York Street Gallery
War Office
Salisbury Plain Training Area
National Archives
Forensic Architecture

Locations

London
United Kingdom
Imber
Tyneham
Wiltshire
Dorset
Singapore

Sources

Artlyst — 2026-09-02
Art Plugged — 2026-08-20