Jihong Zhao is an industrial designer and graphic designer from Beijing who specializes in digital sculpting. The artist employs advanced digital material fabrication techniques, including high-fidelity 3D modeling, physics-based simulation, UV mapping, and ray-traced atmospheric rendering, to capture a moment in time. Jihong is self-taught in programs like Blender and ZBrush and is also enrolled in VR courses to pursue his passion for conceptual and immersive world-building.
May the Pine Flourish Forever is a digital sculpture that reimagines a painting gifted by the artist’s great-grandfather to his mother on her 60th birthday. Inspired by CG-rendered still-frame compositions, the artist unveils and reconstructs a piece of family history in 1960s China, tracing its journey from flourishing prosperity to gradual decline. At the heart of this digital sculpture stands the artist’s great-great-grandmother, Lady Xiang, gazing both at the audience and beyond—offering glimpses into her life while subtly breaking the fourth wall.