A trained architect turned sculptor, Zan Ho has developed a distinctive body of work in which paper, emptiness and light become creative materials in their own right. Composed of thousands of assembled modules, his animal sculptures question both our perception of space and the fragility of living beings.
When standing before a sculpture by Zan Ho, the eye never stops at the surface. A polar bear, an emperor penguin, an octopus or even a wave immediately emerges. Yet behind these recognisable silhouettes lies a far more complex construction, composed of openings, transparencies and shifting perspectives.
The viewer is no longer simply invited to observe the work: their gaze passes through it.
From Architecture to Sculpture
A graduate of the École nationale supérieure d’architecture de Paris-La Villette, Zan Ho worked as an architect for several years before devoting himself to sculpture.
This training continues to shape his practice profoundly. Volume, the movement of the gaze and the relationship between interior and exterior remain central to his artistic approach.
“I see sculpture as architecture.”
Zan Ho does not simply seek to reproduce the external form of an animal or object. He constructs a space for the eye to explore.
Paper: A Fragile Material Made Monumental
To create his sculptures, Zan Ho patiently assembles hundreds, sometimes thousands, of paper modules.
Viewed individually, each element appears light and almost insignificant. Yet their accumulation gives rise to powerful, sometimes monumental works in which matter is in constant dialogue with emptiness.
His choice of paper creates a striking paradox. The sculptures convey an impression of strength and stability, even though they are made from an extremely fragile material. This tension evokes both the vulnerability of living beings and their capacity for transformation.
Depending on the viewing angle, the silhouette may appear dense or dissolve into the light. The work changes as the viewer moves around it and never fully reveals itself at first glance.
When the Animal Becomes a Living Architecture
Animals occupy a central place in Zan Ho’s artistic universe, but they are never merely figurative subjects.
The polar bear, octopus and emperor penguin become metaphors for presence, movement and fragility. Through them, the artist questions the boundaries of form: where does a sculpture begin and where does it end when light and the viewer’s gaze can pass through it?
In his work, emptiness is not an absence. It connects the elements, gives rhythm to the structure and contributes fully to its balance.
Zan Ho Presents His Work on the ART MAG Podcast
In this interview, Zan Ho discusses his journey from architect to sculptor, his choice of paper and the essential role that emptiness and light play in his work.
The artist also shares insights into how he constructs his sculptures and reflects on the fragility of living beings.
Watch the full interview with Zan Ho on the ART MAG podcast:
Discover Zan Ho in ART MAG International No. 33
Discover Zan Ho’s journey from architect to sculptor, his artistic approach and a selection of his works. The feature examines how he transforms paper, emptiness and light into creative materials in their own right.
The article provides insights into this distinctive universe, in which animal forms become open architectural structures, traversed by the gaze and conveying a reflection on the fragility of living beings.
Join the Artists Featured in ART MAG
Are you an artist looking to introduce your work through an editorial feature?
For each issue, ART MAG International selects contemporary artists whose careers and artistic practices are explored in articles published in both French and English.
The magazine is distributed in France and internationally to art enthusiasts, collectors, professionals and institutions.
FAQ – Zan Ho
Zan Ho is a contemporary artist and sculptor with a background in architecture, whose work explores the relationships between solid and empty space, light, spatial perception and the fragility of living beings. His sculptures are notably created from numerous assembled paper modules, forming animal figures and structures through which the viewer’s gaze can pass.
Zan Ho’s work is distinguished by the construction of open sculptures in which emptiness plays a direct role in shaping the form. The artist uses paper to create light, fragmented structures through which the gaze and light can circulate.
Zan Ho’s work is distinguished by the construction of open sculptures in which emptiness plays a direct role in shaping the form. The artist uses paper to create light, fragmented structures through which the gaze and light can circulate.
In Zan Ho’s work, animals serve as metaphors for living beings. Through the polar bear, octopus and emperor penguin, the artist explores fragility, movement, transformation and the relationship between presence and disappearance.