自2000年之后，中国经济持续的高速增长开始带来了效果，大量的中产阶级开始出现，艺术品市场随之形成。中国的艺术创作进入了空前繁荣的时代。艺术家不再以盗火者或启蒙者的身份出现在社会生活之中，更多的是以职业艺术家的身份被大众认同。市场经济的发展与繁荣使得传统的知识分子难以在专业化和技术化的社会中获得生存。广泛的知识与思想被细化的专业与技能所取代，艺术家也开始受制于风格和市场。自由创作的压力更多的不再是意识形态而是市场需求。2000年后，从清华大学美术学院退休的张立国，有了更多的时间进行自己的创作。在延续了1990年代形成的美学特征之上，张立国继续探索，将这种现代性的中国特征进一步与个体性相关联。他选择的方式是将这种现代性与其自身的生活联系起来。张立国的创作主题开始更多的关注其自身的日常生活。这不仅包括平时的生活，也包括他的记忆与童年。许多主题，如《缓山》，《心中的河》等开始反复的出现，并形成了系列作品。此外，此前形成的最为重要的《影子》主题，开始更多的被注入到各种生活情境之中，《影子》开始获得更多的特征表达。更为动态与更富表情的影子成为2000年之后张立国《影子》艺术的新特征。这样，在张立国的现代绘画中，在普遍的现代性之上不仅以中国文化为基础，而且还将个人经验融合其中，从而形成了他自身的最为独特的中国现代派绘画。

Since 2000, the constant and high-speed economic increase in China bore fruits, middle class appeared in large numbers, and artistic market formed. Artistic creation in China flourished as never before. Artist no longer appeared as pioneers and torchbearers in social life and they were accepted as professional artists by the people. The development and flourishing of market economy made it hard for the traditional intellects to live in the professionalized and technical society. Extensive knowledge and ideas were replaced by the detailed expertise and skills, and artists were confined by the style and market. The pressure of free creation changed into market demands from ideology. After 2000, Zhang Liguo retired from the Art School of Tsinghua University, and he had more time to engage in his own creation. On the basis of carrying on the aesthetic features formed in the 1990s, Zhang Liguo kept on exploring and associating the modern Chinese features with the individuality. The way he chose was to link the modernity with his own life. The theme of his creation paid more attention to his own daily life. There is daily life, and also including his memory and childhood. Many subjects, such as Smooth Mountain, River In the Heart, appeared for more than once and formed a series of works. Besides, Shadow, the most important subject formed earlier was put into different situations in life, and Shadow started to gain more characteristic expression. More dynamic shadows with more colorful expressions became the new features of Shadow art of Zhang Liguo after 2000. Thus, in the modern paintings of Zhang Liguo, the common modernity was not only based on Chinese culture; it was also blended with personal experiences, forming his most unique Chinese modern paintings.