Born in 1955 in Chongqing, China, Zhou Chunya became a contemporary painter and sculptor. He is best known for his related works in two and three dimensions. A strong influence of traditional Chinese painting and German Neo-Expressionism is easily recognized in his artworks. The latter can be traced back to his graduate school days in Germany, where he obtained his Masterââ¬â¢s degree from the Kassel Academy of Fine Art in 1988. Zhou returned to China in 1989. His education is not the only German thing to inspire Zhou. It is his dog, a German Shepherd named Heigen, that takes the most credit for these exquisite pieces of Chinese art.