Zhang Jingna

Zhang was born in the suburbs of Beijing, China to a sporting family. She moved to Singapore at the age of 8, where she attended Haig Girls' School.

At the age of fourteen, Zhang enrolled in Raffles Girls' School, where she began training in air rifle. She broke her first national record after nine months and subsequently joined the national team. She was active in the team for six years.

Zhang's notable achievements within the sport include breaking a record in the 10m Air Rifle event at the Commonwealth Shooting Championships 2005 in Melbourne, and a bronze in the same event at the Commonwealth Games in 2006.{{cite web |url=http://www.singaporeolympics.com/games/commonwealth-games/melbourne-2006/ |title=Melbourne 2006 |publisher=Singapore National Olympic Council |access-date=13 August 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150519040728/http://www.singaporeolympics.com/games/commonwealth-games/melbourne-2006/ |archive-date=19 May 2015 |url-status=dead }} She was awarded Sports Girl of the Year 2006 by the Singapore National Olympic Council for her performances.{{cite web|url=http://www.singaporeolympics.com/singapore-sports-awards/|title=Sportsgirl of the Year|publisher=Singapore National Olympic Council|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120704065839/http://www.singaporeolympics.com/sportsgirl_of_the_year2.php|archive-date=July 4, 2012}}

{{update|section|date=May 2024}}

Zhang declined the option to go on to junior college for A Levels and pursued a degree in fashion design at LASALLE College of the Arts.{{cite web |url=http://www.youth.sg/content/view/5916/51/ |title=To give up fame and glory for a dream |publisher=Youth.SG |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100228230613/http://www.youth.sg/content/view/5916/51/ |archive-date=28 February 2010 |access-date=12 August 2019 }}

She picked up photography there as a hobby when she was eighteen.{{cite web |url=http://www.outofordermag.com/2013/04/zhang-jingna/ |title=Zhang Jingna on Fashion Photography and deviantART |publisher=Out of Order Magazine }} Probably due to her keen interest and achievements with the medium, she left Lasalle and the national team to pursue photography full-time in 2008.

Zhang's clientele since then include Mercedes-Benz, Canon, Pond's, Ogilvy & Mather Advertising and Wacom.{{cite web|title=Intuos4_Beauty|date=April 2009 |url=http://wacom.deviantart.com/art/Intuos4-Beauty-117822838|publisher=Wacom}} She also produced fashion editorials for magazines such as Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, and Elle.

In fall 2008, Zhang held her first solo exhibition, "Something Beautiful", at The Arts House in Singapore.{{cite web |url=https://www.theartshouse.com.sg/Programmes/EventPage.aspx?EventID=2411 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20140813082842/https://www.theartshouse.com.sg/Programmes/EventPage.aspx?EventID=2411 |url-status=dead |archive-date=13 August 2014 |title=Something Beautiful, a photography exhibition by Zhang Jingna |publisher=The Arts House }} In 2010, 50 of her works were showcased along Orchard Road during Singapore's fashion festival – Fashion Seasons @ Orchard. It was Singapore's first large scale street exhibition featuring fashion photography.{{cite web |url=http://www.sph.com.sg/media_releases/954 |title=Fashion Season @ Orchard 2010 – A Whole New Fashion Experience |publisher=Singapore Press Holdings }}

In late 2010, Zhang announced her second gallery exhibition, "Angel Dreams". The show was held at Japan Creative Centre in Singapore with the support of Embassy of Japan.{{Cite web|url=https://www.sg.emb-japan.go.jp/archive_events.htm|title=Embassy of Japan in Singapore|website=www.sg.emb-japan.go.jp}} The event was noted for her photographs of Japanese musician Sugizo (Luna Sea, X Japan).

In 2013 she was selected to be part of Vogue Italia's "A Glimpse at Photo Vogue" exhibition at Galleria Carla Sozzani in Milan.{{cite web |url=http://www.vogue.it/en/people-are-talking-about/vogue-arts/2013/06/corso-como-photo-vogue-carla-sozzani#ad-image279501 |title=A Glimpse at Photo Vogue |publisher=Vogue.it}}

Zhang is influenced by people such as Peter Lindbergh, John William Waterhouse, Yoshitaka Amano and Zdzisław Beksiński.{{cite web |last=Jingna |first=Zhang |date=19 August 2009 |title=Melancholy as an Aesthetic Emotion |url=http://designtaxi.com/article.php?article_id=100660 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170331023427/http://designtaxi.com/article.php?article_id=100660 |archive-date=31 March 2017 |website=DesignTAXI |publisher=}} She also cites her friend Kuang Hong, a fellow artist, as one of the influences to her early artistic development.

In 2013 Zhang started a personal project entitled "Motherland Chronicles". With the project she sought to explore subjects she loved during her childhood, including themes from anime, manga, and Japanese fantasy art. The project is intended for publication as an art book in 2014.{{cite web |last=Ashcraft |first=Brian |date=28 November 2013 |title=Where Fashion Meets Japanese Fantasy and StarCraft II |url=http://kotaku.com/where-fashion-meets-japanese-fantasy-and-starcraft-ii-1473121900 |website=Kotaku |publisher=}}

Zhang photographed Sugizo multiple times in 2009 and 2010.{{cite journal|title=月下の神託|journal=Fool's Mate|date=October 2010|volume=348|pages=64–71}} She also shot his band Luna Sea's 20th Anniversary World Tour Reboot concert at the Tokyo Dome in 2010. Her photographs of Sugizo from the collaborations and concerts are collected in his book Ongaku ni ai sareta otoko: Sono haran no hansei ({{nihongo2|音楽に愛された男。その波乱の半生}}), the cover features an image from their first collaboration in Japan.

In 2011 Zhang photographed Korean celebrity Rain for Anchor Beer's campaign in Seoul.{{cite web |date=11 August 2011 |title=Anchor Beer picks Rain as brand Ambassador |url=http://www.asiancemagazine.com/news/2011/08/11/anchor-beer-picks-rain-as-brand-ambassador |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304192233/http://www.asiancemagazine.com/news/2011/08/11/anchor-beer-picks-rain-as-brand-ambassador |archive-date=4 March 2016 |website=Asiance Magazine |publisher=}}

Zhang also worked with cosplayer Alodia Gosiengfiao.{{cite web|title=Alodia Gosiengfiao|date=23 July 2014 |url=https://ph.celebrity.yahoo.com/photos/she-s-a-warrior-she-s-a-monster-she-s-super-cosplayer-alodia-1406105787-slideshow/alodia-gosiengfiao-black-mage-alodia-contributed-photo-by-zemotion-zhang-jingna-photo-1406108249682.html|publisher=Yahoo! Philippines}} They collaborated on a tribute piece to Japanese artist and illustrator Yoshitaka Amano.{{cite web|title=Untitled Amano Girl – Alodia Gosingfiao|url=http://www.zhangjingna.com/alodia-gosiengfiao/untitled-amano-girl|website=zhangjingna.com}}

From 2011–2013, Zhang owned and managed a semi-professional Starcraft 2 team called Infinity Seven.

In 2021, Zhang announced that she decided to quit fashion photography, citing racism within the Western market.{{Cite web |date=2021-12-06 |title=Photographer Quits Fashion, Cites Racism in the Western Market |url=https://petapixel.com/2021/12/05/photographer-quits-fashion-cites-racism-in-the-western-market/ |access-date=2022-05-04 |website=PetaPixel |language=en}} In posts uploaded to Facebook and Instagram, Zhang stated that her experiences with racism and xenophobia had prompted her to leave the industry.{{Cite web |last=@alexbakerimages |date=2021-12-09 |title=Racism in Western fashion prompts photographer to quit |url=https://www.diyphotography.net/racism-in-western-fashion-prompts-photographer-to-quit/ |access-date=2022-05-04 |website=DIY Photography |language=en-us}}

In 2022, her portraits of actress Michelle Yeoh were featured for Time magazine's 100 Most Influential People and the cover photos for a profile for The Hollywood Reporter.{{Cite web |last= |date=2022-04-07 |title=Legendary Michelle Yeoh has set the standard for 2022 with Everything Everywhere All At Once and Intro for April 7, 2022 |url=http://www.laineygossip.com/legendary-michelle-yeoh-set-standard-2022-with-everything-everywhere-all-at-once/70735 |access-date=2022-06-04 |website=www.laineygossip.com}}

In May 2022, Zhang was alerted by Luxembourgish fans about possible copyright infringement of her work.The student and oil painter Jeff Dieschburg had used one of her photos as reference for the left panel of his diptych painting "Turandot". Strassen Biennial of Contemporary Art art competition in Luxembourg rewarded him with a prize 1500€ for his contribution of several works, among them Turandot, up for sale for 6500€ in June 2022.{{cite web | url=https://www.wort.lu/de/kultur/jeff-dieschburg-vs-jingna-zhang-eine-chronologie-62a1d3a8de135b9236e8ddc2 | title=Jeff Dieschburg vs. Jingna Zhang – eine Chronologie | date=9 June 2022 }}{{Cite web |date=2022-06-02 |title=Jury mum in Luxembourg art plagiarism scandal |url=https://www.luxtimes.lu/en/culture/jury-mum-in-luxembourg-art-plagiarism-scandal-629917a9de135b923654ab52 |access-date=2022-06-04 |website=Luxembourg Times |language=en}} Zhang accused Dieschburg via social media of plagiarism and her posts went viral. News outlets noted the "obvious similarities" while Dieschburg justified the use of his work, claiming it as "inspiration" and being part of a larger work.{{Cite web |date=3 June 2022 |title="The audacity and utter disrespect" of Dieschburg: Jingna Zhang's work appropriated and plagiarised in Luxembourg Art Show |url=https://today.rtl.lu/news/luxembourg/a/1922813.html |access-date=2022-06-04 |website=RTL |language=en}} As response to the accusations and to counteract the massive hate and death threats that he received, Dieschburg refused the prize money and removed the diptych from the exhibition. {{Cite web|url=https://www.wort.lu/kultur/nach-urteil-im-plagiatsstreit-zhang-dieschburg-reagiert-die-gemeinde-strassen/12713511.html?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR3gEJ-4_D14HEEnJm88xt-PMebrqjoD6N7nhpqrNoC9PSLV-90WOhfIEDw_aem_2xPDk5u9SY2yrLTFDminKQ|title=Nach Urteil im Plagiatsstreit Zhang-Dieschburg reagiert die Gemeinde Strassen|date=28 August 2024|website=Luxemburger Wort}} {{Cite web|url=https://guykaiser.lu/ass-de-jeff-dieschburg-senges-liewens-net-mei-secher-himmelschreiend-sauerei-seet-de-gaston-vogel/|title=Ass de Jeff Dieschburg senges Liewens net méi sécher? Himmelschreiend Sauerei, reagéiert de Gaston Vogel!|first=Guy|last=Kaiser|date=11 June 2022|website=Guy Kaiser Online}} One month later, Zhang took Dieschburg to court and on 14 October 2022, she lost in the „Chambre des référés“. {{Cite web|url=https://opus.radio/program/episode/415193/20221014220000-20221014221000?pd=opus|title=Panorama|date=14 October 2022|website=www.opus.radio}}She then took the case to the „Chambres Civiles“ and on 7 December 2022, the court ruled again in favour of Dieschburg. {{Cite web|url=https://delano.lu/article/jeff-dieschburg-case-plagiaris|title=Jeff Dieschburg case: plagiarism not recognised|website=delano.lu}} In February 2024, Zhang traveled to Luxembourg to attend the appeal after loss in the first instance. In May 2024 the Luxembourg district court rendered its verdict: Zhang's intellectual property rights were recognized, and the left panel of Dieschburg's work Turandot was condemned as plagiarism.{{Cite web |date=2024-05-09 |title=US artist wins appeal in Luxembourg plagiarism row |url=https://www.luxtimes.lu/luxembourg/us-artist-wins-appeal-in-luxembourg-plagiarism-row/12675933.html |access-date=2024-05-08 |website=luxembourg-times-online |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2024-05-09 |title=Jeff Dieschburg verliert Plagiatsstreit gegen Jingna Zhang |url=https://www.wort.lu/kultur/dieschburg-verliert-gegen-zhang/12662341.html |access-date=2024-05-08 |website=luxemburger-wort-online |language=de}}

On 2 January 2023, Zhang opened Cara, an art platform designed to prevent AI-scraping, to public testing. The site quickly rose in popularity around June 2024, growing from around 40,000 users to 650,000 in a single week, as artists migrated to avoid having their art trained on without proper procedures for compensation.{{Cite news |last=Hunter |first=Tatum |date=2024-06-06 |title=Artists are fleeing Instagram to keep their work out of Meta’s AI |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2024/06/06/instagram-meta-ai-training-cara/ |access-date=2024-06-06 |work=Washington Post |language=en-US |issn=0190-8286}}

• 2006 Sportsgirl of the Year, Singapore Sports Award, Singapore
• 2007 Master Photographer of the Year, Singapore Master Photographer Print Competition, Singapore
• 2008 Overseas Fashion & Press Photographer of the Year, British Professional Photography Awards, Newcastle, UK{{cite web|title=British Professional Photography Awards 2008|url=http://www.thempa.com/bppa2008/overseas.php|publisher=Master Photographers Association|access-date=13 August 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129085546/http://www.thempa.com/bppa2008/overseas.php|archive-date=29 November 2014|url-status=usurped}}
• 2009 3rd Place Advertising: Catalogue, International Photography Awards
• 2009 3rd Place Fine Art: Nudes, International Photography Awards{{cite web|url=http://www.photoawards.com/en/Pages/Gallery/winner.php |title=2009 IPA Winner's Gallery |publisher=Lucie Foundation |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131017055746/http://www.photoawards.com/en/Pages/Gallery/winner.php |archive-date=17 October 2013 }}
• 2011 Photographer of the Year, Elle Awards, Singapore{{cite web |url=http://news.xin.msn.com/en/singapore/article.aspx?cp-documentid=5548298 |title=Elle Recognizes "Showbiz Best" |publisher=Channel NewsAsia |date=17 November 2011 |access-date=13 August 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140813200025/http://news.xin.msn.com/en/singapore/article.aspx?cp-documentid=5548298 |archive-date=13 August 2014 |url-status=dead }}
• 2012 Honorable Mention in Fine Art: Portraits, Fine Art: Nudes, and Advertising: Fashion, International Photography Awards{{cite web|title=International Photography Awards 2012 Honorable Mentions|url=http://www.photoawards.com/en/Pages/Gallery/hmention2012PRO.php|publisher=Lucie Foundation|access-date=13 August 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151002073213/http://photoawards.com/en/Pages/Gallery/hmention2012PRO.php|archive-date=2 October 2015|url-status=dead}}
• 2013 Best Beauty/Glamor Photographer, FRAMED Awards, Las Vegas, USA{{cite web|title=[FRAMED] Award Winners|url=http://www.framedawards.com/WINNERS|publisher=[F] Network|access-date=13 August 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140716033445/http://www.framedawards.com/WINNERS|archive-date=16 July 2014|url-status=dead}}
• 2013 Young Photographer of the Year, Mobius Awards{{cite web|title=Mobius Awards 2013|url=http://mobiusawards.com/prPage.asp|publisher=Mobius Awards|access-date=13 August 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140813215603/http://mobiusawards.com/prPage.asp|archive-date=13 August 2014|url-status=dead}}
• 2015 Recipient, 7th Julia Margaret Cameron Award for Women Photographers{{Cite web|url=http://www.galaawardsgallery.com/7th-jmca-awardees.html|title=7th JMCA AWARDEES|website=Gala Awards Gallery|language=es-ES|access-date=2017-06-26}}
• 2017 Gold, Portraiture, Px3 Prix de la Photographie, Paris{{Cite web|url=https://px3.fr/winners/winners.php?compName=PX3%202017&level=pro|title=PX3 - Winners|website=px3.fr|access-date=2017-06-26}}
• 2018 Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia, Arts{{Cite web |title=30 Under 30 Asia 2018: The Arts |url=https://www.forbes.com/30-under-30-asia/2018/the-arts/ |access-date=2018-04-08 |website=Forbes}}

• 2008 Something Beautiful, The Arts House, Singapore, 2008
• 2010 Fashion Season @ Orchard Street Exhibition, Orchard Road, Singapore, 2010
• 2010 Angel Dreams, Japan Creative Center, Singapore, 2010{{cite web|url=http://dreams.zhangjingna.com |title=Angel Dreams – A Photography Exhibition by Zhang Jingna |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100812094432/http://dreams.zhangjingna.com/ |archive-date=12 August 2010 }}
• 2017 PURE, Hjo Culture Center, Sweden{{Cite web|url=http://www.uponwalls.com/pure-jingna-zhang/|title=Pure - Jingna Zhang|website=UpOnWalls|language=sv-SE|access-date=2018-04-08}}

• 2013 Vogue Italia: "A Glimpse at Photo Vogue", Galleria Carla Sozzani, Milan, 2013

• Zhang Jingna Postcard Collection (2009, {{ISBN|978-981-08-3810-2}})
• Something Beautiful (2008, {{ISBN|978-981-08-1309-3}})

{{Reflist}}

• {{Official website|http://zhangjingna.com|Zhang Jingna official website}}
• [https://petapixel.com/2013/08/14/an-interview-with-photographer-zhang-jingna/ Zhang Jingna's Interview with Beta Pixel]

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Category:1988 births

Category:Artists from Beijing

Category:Chinese emigrants to Singapore

Category:Singaporean photographers

Category:Naturalised citizens of Singapore

Category:Raffles Girls' Secondary School alumni

Category:Singaporean women photographers

Category:Living people