Qi Zhuang is an interdisciplinary artist, filmmaker and animator working between China and the UK. Her works draws inspiration from Buddhism, phenomenology and symbolism, experiencing abstract cosmological ideas through intimate, materialist ways with body language, sound and moving images.
During her MA studies at Royal College of Art (RCA), Qi examined time-based media, software and text as a means to explore themes such as life and death, Māyā, and the ineffable in multi-dimensional ways. Most of the time, she carefully examines the media she works with, striving to create images that evoke raw and visceral visual experiences.
Qi’s works have been exhibited in Austria, Russia, the US, the UK, Spain and China. As a researcher, her autobiographical essay “World, Symbol, Gaze” was published in Art and Society(ISSN 2709-9830) Vol.3, No.3(2024) and is archived at the RCA library.
EDUCATION
MA Experimental Animation, Royal College of Art, 2020-2023
BA Illustration Animation, Kingston University, 2017-2020
Level 4 Illustration, Cambridge School of Visual and Performance Art, 2016-2017
EXHIBITIONS AND SCREENINGS
2024 Darkroom Festival, London, LDN
2024 VIENNA SHORTS, Vienna, WUM
2024 62nd Ann Arbor Film Festival, Ann Arbor, MI
2024 26th Barcelona International Short and Animation Film Festival, Barcelona, BCN
2024 Shanghai International Short Week, Shanghai, SHA
2023 Art On Loop, The Holy Art Gallery, London, LDN 2023 Raw Science Film Festival, Los Angeles, LA
2023 Berlin Shorts Award, Berlin, BE 2023 Paris International Short Festival, Paris, PAR 2023 Animex Screen, Yorkshire, YKS
2021 New York City IO Film Festival, New York City, NYC 2021 Faith Fest, Califonia, CA
2021 Reconnecting, OXO Tower Wharf, London, LDN 2021 空无,No Space Gallery, Online
2021 What We Talk About When We Talk About,Royal College of Art, Online 2020 Esoteric International Film Festival, Moscow, MOS 2019 Fragments & Non-Linear Narratives, Drawing Room, London, LDN
AWARDS
2020 Kingston Animation Prize, Runner-up, Vintage Books Company, London, UK 2017 Awarding Body Extended Diploma in Art & Design Scholarship, Cambridge School of Visual and Performance Art, Cambridge, UK