Biography
Shengjia Zhang (b.1997, Shenzhen) is a multimedia artist and filmmaker from Guangdong, China. He holds an MA in Fine Art from Central Saint Martins (UK), where he received the Dean’s Award as well as support from the Mona Hatoum Bursary and the Turing Scheme. His work is part of the permanent collection of the Central Saint Martins Museum. He completed his undergraduate studies in Interior Architecture at Shenzhen University, where his architectural design was awarded the Asian Design Award. Inspired by cultural anthropology, his practice delves into minor social histories and cultural hybridity, intertwined with everyday objects and concepts, through collecting and investigating relevant marginal archives.
As the winner of the MaritimeGD Young Director Support Program (China, 2025), Zhang was also nominated for the LOEWE FOUNDATION / Studio Voltaire Award (UK, 2025), the Silver Dove Award at DOK Leipzig (Germany, 2024), the CIRFA Award for Bridging East and West (Italy, 2024), the Young Artist Prize at UCCA Center for Contemporary Art (China, 2024), and the Graduate Award at Lewisham Arthouse (UK, 2024). His work has also been presented at InScience Film Festival (Netherlands, 2025), SWCAC Art Center (China, 2024), Beijing International Short Film Festival (China, 2023), London Design Week (UK, 2022), LUX (UK, 2022), Biennale Internationale de Design Saint-Étienne (France, 2019), and the Bi-City Biennale of Urbanism/Architecture (Mainland China/Hong Kong, 2019).
Education
MA Fine Art
2020-2022
Central Saint Martins College, University of the Arts London, UK
- Scholarship& Funding: Mona Hatoum Bursary, Turing Scheme
BA Interior Design
2015-2019
College of Art and Design, Shenzhen University, China
- Scholarship& Honors: Excellent Student Scholarship, Graduation Project 1st Place
Awards
2025
Winner, MaritimeGD Young Director Support Program, Guangdong, China
Shortlist, LOEWE FOUNDATION / Studio Voltaire Award, London, UK
2024
Nomination of Silver Dove Award, DOK Leipzig, Germany
Nomination of Young Artist Prize, UCCA Center, Beijing China
Nomination of the 6th 1839 Photography Award, Chengdu Contemporary Image Museum, Chengdu China
Nomination of Bridging East and West, CIRFA Award, Venice, Italy
2023
Audience Choice Award, LL Interspace, leipzig, Germany
Deans Award, Central Saint Martins, London, UK
2022
Long List, Graduate Award, Lewisham Arthouse, London, UK Cactus Projet 3.0, Post-Flamand Art Space The Third Prize, Milan Design Week- China Design Exhibition
2020
Excellent Award of Interior Design, The Second Black Box Creative Design Award2019
Excellent Award of Public Environment and Architecture, Asian Design AwardExcellent Award of Lighting and Architecture, Asian Design Award
Solo Exhibition
2025
Made in England: High Tea, Lewisham Arthouse, London, UK
Screening
2025
Indie China Film Festival, New York, USA
The 20th International Documentary Fim Festival "Won Together", Sochi, Russia
Unicorn Film Club, Tokyo, Japan
Developing China, BISFF x LA Filmforum, LA, USA
Rhodope Film Festival, Smolyan, Bulgaria
China Geofilm Festival, Guangzhou, China
InScience Film Festival, Nijmegen, Netherland
2024
DOK Leipzig, Germany
Wuhan bǎilin Film Festival, Wuhan, China
The Sleepless Night of (Re)imaginning Marco Polo, Venice, Italy
The idea of Southeast in (South)east Asian cinema, Zagreb, Crotia
The Nearby Independent International Film Festival, Guangzhou, China
2023
Beijing International Short Film Festival, Beijing, China
2022
Malarkey Film Festival, Phoenix Cinema, London, UKThe Thin Metal is Going Through My Left Ear Hole, LUX, London, UK
Exhibition
2025
Shennan Boulevard Pulse of An Urban Legend, Shenzhen Art Museum, Shenzhen, China
Songshan Lake Biennale, Dongguan, China
THE MENU: Art & Design Inspired by Food, Ramp, Beijing, China
2024
Porthole, SWCAC Art Center & Art Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China2023
I SAID FRUIT SALAD, HYPHA Gallery, London
Hotpot, KUB Gallery, leipzig, Germany
Big Family Happy, Arbre Space, Shenzhen, China
Thermidorien * Cactus in Pairs, Tree Art Gallery, Pairs, France
Project by the Sea, Dalian City Art Museum, Dalian, China
Action against Hate: Diversity & Religion Exhibition, University of Westminster, London, UK
Dreams of a new moon, Lethaby Gallery, London, UK
Moving Image, The Assembly Room, Northampton, UK
2022
Video Sound Archive S5, Online, USAMuddy Mulark, Candid Arts Trust Gallery, London, UK
Human Resources, London Design Festival, Lethaby Gallery, London, UK
Co_vid: Wir im Um_bruch, Leipzig, Germany
History Reviewed: We Can’t Forget How to Move, Silpakorn University, Thailand
Seeing You in Us: Weave Eastern and Western contexts, Triangle Space, Chelsea College of Arts, London , UK
All Change Please, Banner Repeater, London, UK
Reassemblages, Central Saint Martins Window Gallery, London, UK
2021
MERCH, Lethaby Gallery, London, UK2020
Transference.tv, Online, UK2019
Biennale International Design Saint-Etienne, FranceBi-City Biennale of UrbanismArchitecture, Shenzhen/Hongkong, China
The night of asgardia, Shenzhen,China
2018
Shenzhen C Future Festival, Shenzhen, ChinaThe Seventh Shenzhen City Art Fair, Shenzhen, China
Shenzhen International Art Fair, Shenzhen, China
Commission
2025
The video Microwave Hill was commissioned by the Shenzhen Biennale Public Art Foundation and the Shenzhen Agency for Design and Art (SADA) , ChinaCollection
2022
Permanent Collection, Central Saint Martins Museum, University of the Arts London, UKGrants
2025
MaritimeGD Young Director Support Program, Guangdong, China
2022
555 Project, SandwiChina, Shanghai, ChinaResidencies
2024
LL Interspace, leipzig, Germany
2023
Arbre Space, Shenzhen, ChinaPublication
2024
Unknown Quantities, Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts London, UKAsian Delights, Shanghai, China
2023
Cambridge Journal of Visual Culture, Cambridge University, UKLecture
2024
Artist Talk on Short Film: Birthday Cakes From China, LL Interspace, Leipzig, Germany
Artist Talk, Shenzhen University, China
Research Programme
2022
Chelsea College of Arts, UK
- Rivers.Jugular Veins of Empire- Shared Campus International Summer Schools
Silpakorn University, Thailand
- History Reviewed: We Can’t Forget How to Move- Shared Campus International Summer Schools
2017
Palacky University, Czech Republic
- Fine Art, Summer Programme