Meet Tianyi Zhang

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Tianyi Zhang. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Tianyi below.

Hi Tianyi, so excited to talk about all sorts of important topics with you today. The first one we want to jump into is about being the only one in the room – for some that’s being the only person of color or the only non-native English speaker or the only non-MBA, etc Can you talk to us about how you have managed to be successful even when you were the only one in the room that looked like you?

Honestly, everyone faces this kind of challenge at some point. When I was a teenager, I was the only student in my class learning art. Teachers and classmates often judged me, assuming that kids who study art are somehow rebellious or not serious about their future. Later, when I studied abroad, I was labeled because of my skin color, accent, and lifestyle. And now, as a young female artist and entrepreneur, I still frequently encounter doubt and skepticism from others. The men around me often focus too much on my age, calling me “little girl” in a patronizing way. Some even openly express the belief that young women simply can’t achieve real success.

For a while, I really struggled with self-doubt and anxiety because of all these perceptions. To be honest, I still get trapped in negative emotions from time to time. But I’ve come to realize that this kind of worry and sensitivity doesn’t really help. Looking back, at every stage of life, I’ve been questioned simply because I was “different.” So I ask myself: “Can I control how others see me or their prejudices?” — No. “Then what am I really after — building a likeable image, or making the things I truly want to make happen?” — Clearly, it’s the latter.

Creating meaningful, solid work is always more important than worrying about how I look or how others perceive me.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

I am an interdisciplinary artist, and my practice primarily involves video art, installation, animation, and performance. My work often explores human behavior and the cultural environments behind it, drawing inspiration from personal experiences and the tensions I encounter in my surroundings.

Since the end of last year, I’ve also been running my own art space — THE HANGAR — a multidisciplinary space located in the heart of Shanghai. Through this platform, I aim to explore diverse artistic possibilities while emphasizing sustainable curatorial and planning approaches. We work to help artists connect with broader audiences and collector communities.

At the same time, I hope the space can become a welcoming port for fresh ideas and artistic expressions — a place that fosters connection and dialogue between the two different places I’m living in (Shanghai & LA)

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

I believe that perseverance, reflection, and balance are the three core values I need most in both my work and life right now.

Perseverance means consistently pursuing what I believe in — putting in focus, time, and effort, and then patiently waiting for the results to unfold.

Reflection is about looking back on everything I’ve done — the projects I’ve worked on, the artworks I’ve completed — and using those insights to guide my next steps, so I can grow smarter and more effectively.

Balance means finding space between work and life — making sure I always have enough time to do the things that make me feel happy and relaxed!!!

Is there a particular challenge you are currently facing?

My biggest challenge at the moment is learning how to deal with things that are beyond my control. Since I started running my art space, I’ve been working with all kinds of people and managing a wide range of responsibilities. Many of these things simply can’t be controlled 100%, no matter how hard I try. It’s very different from making art — where I can still have a certain level of control, or keep experimenting and adjusting until I get closer to what I want.

That’s why I constantly remind myself to adjust my mindset: to let go of the obsession with outcomes, to move at a steady pace, to try things out, and to accept that different results are part of the process.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.zhangtianyi.org
• Instagram: tianyii1