In his piece titled Family Tree, Chinese artist Zhang Huan asked three calligraphers to write the names of friends and family and inscribe personal and cultural stories directly onto his skin. The artist describes how he sees this serial self-portait: “It is impossible to take away your inborn blood and personality. [. . .] This work speaks about a family story, a spirit of family.”

What message about family and cultural heritage do you think Huan is expressing? How might each generation in “Children as Enemies” interpret the argument Huan is making with this piece?

Family Tree, 2001, Zhang Huan/Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Texas/Museum purchase funded by the Caroline Wiess Law Accessions Endowment Fund/Bridgeman Images