Zhang Kenan (1919-1975) was from Daixian, Shanxi Province. In 1937, he started working with units of the Red Army in the Jin-Cha-Ji (Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei) Border Region. After the Anti-Japanese War, Zhang went to Shanghai to do underground work. In 1949, he headed the Art and Film Office of the Shanxi Daily (Shanxi ribao, 山西日报) in Taiyuan. He transferred to Shanxi University in 1964 to become head of the Art Department. In 1972 he transferred again, to the Shanxi People's Publishing House, where he served as head of the Art Editorial Office.

Zhang was a well-known cartoonist whose work has been included in provincial collections.