張山的創作獨具個人風格，以極為與鐵鏽色澤相似的陶作藝術表現創作，結合多元普普文化角色，看似可愛，其實崩壞。在這樣「不可愛聯盟」的創作中，張山巧妙結合肢體語言，以無機體模擬有機體，透過回憶與時間的歷練，大眾文化與神話結合化為一體，與觀賞者形成共鳴。

音響也成為他創作的元素之一，平常於工作室，張山習慣聆聽網路上經典電影原聲帶，「黑色追緝令」（Pulp Fiction）就是其中之一，或許對暴力美學大導演塔倫提諾（Tarantino）情有獨鍾，追殺比爾（Kill Bill）配樂也在「鐵工廠」響起。牆上的哥吉拉海報，架上各式各樣的公仔與作品融合成為微觀一樣的次文化生態系。

公仔系列的作品中總有對峙的緊繃感，觀眾記憶中熟悉的角色於張山手下的製作後跳脫思維的框架，被另一種類似黑色電影的氛圍所籠罩著，如此的表現手法正是有濃厚的張山招牌特色，考驗觀賞者對於大眾文化的閱歷。結合燒陶器具的形體，情人系列是自創的人物。抽離敘事主題與故事背景，這些個體如同奈良美智筆下的小女孩被賦予藝術性。

似是而非，於概念上如此，形式上亦是如此，看似發鏽的鐵，卻是較為易碎的陶，外表堅強不可愛，內心或許反之。但想要一窺究竟，得先將強硬的外殼敲碎，裡面是否會有顆溫柔赤誠的心？或許裡面是空虛，我們不得而知。張山的公仔有熟悉的姿態與外表，結合「賺」、「讚」等傳統與年輕世代字眼，偽裝結合成為文化的遺產。

於概念上，這些藝術創作是在反照時代的變遷，像是大同寶寶、小叮噹等資深角色對每位觀眾而言皆有不一樣的反思與效果，各個角色所扮演的實際特質也被改變，而腳本則是在每個人眼裡有無限的延伸。對張山而言，這是運用現成文化產物再進行創造的加工，原本層面上加上他的改編，是概念上也是形體上的部份挪用。

鐵鏽色的釉暗喻時間的經歷，好似被土掩埋過的痕跡，或許是陪葬品一般，微妙的比喻現今科技發達世代人們對於過去傳統的屏棄，張山則是扮演著文化考古學家的角色，一步一腳印的反芻各類文化種種的元素。台灣八家將插著旗幟，酷似日本卡漫鋼鐵戰士，概念上平行發想文化與宗教的機制與在社會扮演的職位。

日本動畫的輸入，在台灣歷史中遺留日據時代的影子，也好似美國好萊塢於國際影壇獨大的現象，張山的作品中述說著文化傳播（Cultural Diffusion）的歷史，在世界歷史中，文化傳播最早的例子之一，就是羅馬帝國的崛起，在征戰與戰亂中，殖民與臣服之間，各種文化之間的互相影響絕非單方面的，如此的效應套用在當代，網路文化快速的成為無形的巨大文化熔爐造就了張山獨特的創作風格。

張山的作品中，蘊含台灣三十幾年前就有的經濟成長印記、日本可愛文化的啟發、以及黑色幽默般的暴力美學，於觀念上當代，可逐步抽離分析。在海洋系列，偽裝材質的手法出現於其中，於海洋中找到的物件被陶製的分身取代，幾可亂真，被藝術家放在茶席上，與其說是生活陶，不如說是創新的茶道器具。張山的茶席不是以茶為主角，而是以陶為主要出發點，在看似為文化遺產的器具盛裝之下，進行茶文化的延續。

茶道，是審視內心靈魂深處的過程，而張山的茶席系列，好比在鐵達尼號上喝下午茶似的，圍觀的是眾多的公仔，他們也許都有自己的意識，在故事大綱不明朗的情況下展開行動，在靜態中蠢蠢欲動，也許迫不及待的想統治世界，又或許無法避免的邁向自我毀滅，可能像梁山伯與祝英台淒美的愛情傳說化為蝶影，又或許在新世界修成正果，張山的作品創造出了無數平行宇宙與時間軸，無限的想像力邀請大家進入超越時空的奇幻旅程。

在看似堅硬剛烈的外表下，原本無威脅感的凱蒂貓或許不懷好意，但經過鐵鏽色的裝飾之下，另類的觀感或許使人卸下心防，所謂不可以貌取人、日久見人心，對於不誠實的外表，或許可愛或不可愛也不再是那麼重要的議題。張山的作品在經過燒窯後，保有暖暖的赤忱之心，是時代的印記，也是濃郁的人情味。

Chang Shan’s art is infused with his unique personal style, the glaze with a tint similar of rusted iron on his ceramic artworks is commonly found in his oeuvre, with the subject matter combining characters from popular culture, seemingly kawaii, while in fact decadent. In the works of such “unadorable league”, Chang Shan expertly permeate body language, mimicking organic forms with inert shapes, through the testaments of memories and time, popular culture is syndicated with mythologies, which incites resonance with the audience.

Audio speaker is one of the elements he works with, Chang Shan listens to classic movie soundtracks such as Pulp Fiction, perhaps he has a preference of the master of violent beauty, that are Tarantino’s films, the original soundtracks of Kill Bill is also sounded in his “iron factory”. The Godzilla poster on the wall, with all sorts of figurines from anime films form a collective microcosm of sub-cultures.

In his action figures series, there’s a perpetual, tense confrontation, the familiarity of the characters from the audiences’ memories transcends Chang’s production, which then surrounded by the atmosphere of quasi-film noir; this scheme of presentation possesses Chang’s signature touch, testing the audiences’ experience of popular culture. With the physical form of the tool of burning the ceramics in the kiln, the lover series is his original character. Sans subject narrative and background story, these individuals are like Yoshitomo Nara’s little girls, which are given artistic qualities.

Specious in terms of concept, in form as well, the seemingly rusted iron is in reality fragile ceramics, the surface appears to be indestructible and unadorable, the internal reality may be the opposite. But before further examining the inside, the hard exterior shell must be shattered, whether or not there will be a warm and sincere hear inside? Perhaps the interior is void, there’s no way to know. Chang’s action figures have familiar appearances and poses, with Chinese word characters like “Zhuan” (to profit) and “Zan” (thumbs up), traditional and new terms together camouflage as the heritage of culture left over through time.

Conceptually, these works reflect the change of time, like the Datong Boy, Doraemon and other historic cartoon characters all have different connotations and level of intensity to the viewers, the actual qualities of the characters play are distorted, and the script is extended infinitely in the eyes of the beholder. To Chang, this utilization of found objects and the process of distortion upon further adaptation, is an appropriation in ideology and form.

The rustic glaze implies the effect of time, as if it was once buried beneath the earth, like excavated from a burial site, ingeniously become an allegory of how mankind abandoned the past tradition and embraced new technologies. Chang plays a role similar to a cultural archaeologist, step by step, regurgitating various elements of culture. The Eight of the Underworld from traditional Taoist rituals, with multiple flags on the back, similar to the identity of a Japanese manga Gundam, forms a parallel idea of the roles of culture and religion in society.

The import of Japanese anime films and cartoons is an echo of the Japanese colonial history in Taiwan, analogous to the phenomenon of Hollywood films being the main staple in international film market, Chang’s works express the effects and history of cultural diffusion. In world history, one of the best example of cultural diffusion can be found in the rise of the Roman Empire, in conflicts and wars, colonialism and surrender, the multifaceted stimulus of various cultures was not a one way stream, with such model in mind, when we talk about the contemporary era, the effectiveness of the Internet formed a giant melting pot that contributed to Chang’s unique creativity.

In Chang Shan’s works, the marks of Taiwan’s economic growth from more than 30 years ago was condensed, with the inspiration of kawaii culture from Japan and the darkly humored violent aesthetics, the contemporary ideology can be gradually extracted and analyzed. In his marine series, the approach of camouflaging certain materials appear again, objects found in the sea are replaced by their copies in ceramics that is almost identical. Included by the artist into the tea ceremony setting, instead of saying it is functioning ceramics design, it is an innovative approach to the usage of tea ceremony materials. Chang’s tea ceremony is not about tea, but ceramics, the containers seems to be a part of cultural legacy, a continuation of tea culture.

The tea ceremony is a process of examining the soul in depth, Chang’s series of tea ceremony works in ceramics incite a fantastical setting, as if enjoying afternoon tea on the Titanic, surrounded by many action figures, which may have their own consciousness, in motion with no apparent storyline, quietly waiting for the right moment to strike, perhaps waiting to rule the world, maybe inevitably approaching self-destruction, like the tragic but beautiful mythical love story of Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai that morphs into a butterfly, or reach nirvana, Chang Shan’s works create countless parallel dimensions and timelines in the universe, the infinite imagination invites all into a journey that’s beyond time and space.

Under the façade that appears to be indestructible, the originally non-threatening Hello Kitty might be up to no good, however, with the adornment of the iron rust, this alternative perception may disarm the beholders, the old Chinese proverb tell us that one must not judge one’s character purely based on one’s appearances, and time will reveal the true nature of people, so it is important to question the outward looks, cuteness or not is no longer important. Chang’s works remain warm with a sincere heart after coming out of the kilns, it is the mark of the epoch, and the mark of concentrated love and devotion.