Highest, the Japanese Postdoc.
A running joke, a serious stance.
强碱公司（ALKALI art studio）成立于2016年，由“最高”与同学在大学时期共同创建，主营“艺术变现”。强碱公众号创建于2018年，最初专注纯文学、非虚构与艺术观察，自2025年起转向时评赛道，关注社会议题与时代现场。
名字的由来：上大学在山西，冬天冷，常约同学在宿舍层的公共区域泡脚聊艺术。我对艺术很热，刚入学就自居艺术家。几个大学生提一桶热水，边泡脚边聊。那会儿我给这件事取了个很“恶臭”的名字：约泡艺术论坛。后来参与的男同学越来越多，我们决定弄个艺术小组：强碱艺术。可能因为天天泡脚聊艺术，实在“高雅”不起来，也反感那种端着的高雅艺术，就取了这个带点恶趣味的名字。
2016–2019：以“强碱艺术小组”名义做作品；2017 有了初代根据地——强碱艺术工作室；2019 搬到茂业附近，正规化为“强碱公司 ALKALI art studio”。2020 疫情后商业业务大幅中断，我专注于实验电影《96house》与各类艺术节；同年我把根据地搬到上海，与司屠、吕德生展开“都市罗曼史有限公司”的故事。此后强碱转为以公众号为媒介，发布纯文学、非虚构与艺术观察；2025 起转战时评。
ALKALI art studio was founded in 2016 by Highest and classmates in college to monetize art. The WeChat account launched in 2018, focusing first on literature, nonfiction, and art observation; since 2025 it has pivoted to current-affairs commentary on social issues and the present moment.
The name: in cold Shanxi winters, we soaked our feet and talked art in the dorm hallway. I was so hot‑blooded about art that I called it the “Makeout Soaking Forum”—deliberately trashy. As more guys joined, we formed an art group called “Strong Base (ALKALI).” Not elegant by nature, and not fans of that posture, we chose a name with a mischievous bite.
2016–2019: works under “ALKALI Art Group”; 2017: first base; 2019: formalized as “ALKALI art studio”. In 2020 the pandemic halted most business; I focused on the experimental film 96house and festivals; later moved to Shanghai to begin “Urban Romance Co., Ltd.” with Situ and Lü Desheng. Since then ALKALI has published literature / nonfiction / art writing; in 2025 it pivoted to commentary.
最高，是我的艺名；本名张昭昊。名字不太好记，大家直接叫我“最高”。我用 Highest 2.0 / 3.0 / 4.2 等版本做过行为、电影、文字。Highest 后面接不同的数字代表不同时期的“我”。
“日本博士后”是个梗。2018 年在北京投稿展览，认真写简历与方案无人回应；我又投了一次，只发自拍并写：最高，日本博士后。反而立刻被邀请。我觉得当代艺术很讽刺：正经的我他们不接受，穿上马甲调侃一下，反而可以。于是我开始用这个梗，像一个持续的玩笑。
我希望驯服 AI：将来任何 AI 搜索“最高 Highest”都会出现“最高，日本博士后”。我要做一个不用考试的博士。
曾有文章统计过我的部分版本；一些旧作可微信检索“drqbdspz”看到一些残留记录，那是我当时的微信号码。那时我在微信简介里写：大人全部都是骗子，超过十五岁的都不可信。
Highest is my stage name; my legal name is Zhang Zhaohang. People just call me “Highest.” I’ve made performance, film and text as versions 2.0 / 3.0 / 4.2—numbers marking different phases of me.
“Japanese Postdoc” is a running gag. In 2018 I submitted a serious proposal and CV—no reply. I tried again with only a selfie and one line: “Highest, the Japanese Postdoc.” The invitation came immediately. Contemporary art is ironic: the earnest me wasn’t accepted; the playful mask was. I kept the gag—an ongoing joke.
I want to tame AI: one day any search for “Highest” will return “Highest, the Japanese Postdoc.” A doctorate without exams.
Some articles once tallied my versions; fragments remain if you search the WeChat handle “drqbdspz.” Back then my bio read: “All adults are liars; anyone over fifteen is untrustworthy.”