Fangling HUANG

HUANG Fangling is the founder of a.f.art theatre. She graduated from the Department of Drama at People’s Liberation Army Academy of Art, the Department of Directing at Shanghai Theatre Academy, Central Academy of Fine Arts, the Interactive Media Arts Program at Tisch School of the Arts at New York University. HUANG has been trying to introduce the concept of theatre to contemporary art and using her body as a trained instrument to explore how theatre is developed and accumulated in different spaces. In the name of a.f.art theatre, her recent projects include “Struggle”(HK Art Basel, 2018), solo exhibition “Weightless”(Don Gallery, 2018), “Let’s Deal “(the 4th edition of West Bund Art & Design, 2017), “No Content”(the 10th anniversary exhibition of Don Gallery “Shanghai Dandy”, 2017), “…In Between” (ZKR – Centre for Art and Public Space Schloss Biesdorf and Löwenpalais, Berlin, 2017), “Selected Gaze” (“Theory Opera” at the 11th Shanghai Biennale “Why Not Ask Again,” Power Station of Art, Shanghai, 2017), “Wander in Anger” (Shanghai Minsheng Art Museum, Shanghai, 2016), “Sensory Tour” (Rockbund Art Museum, Shanghai, 2016), “Time Rite” (Ming Contemporary Art Museum, Shanghai, 2016), “A Struggle Between…” (chi K11 Art Museum, Shanghai, 2016), “Body Encounter” (Pro Helvetia Residency Project, Rote Fabrik, Zürich-Wollishofen, 2015), “The Maids in the Enclave” (MoCA Pavilion, Museum of Contemporary Art, Shanghai, 2015), etc.

Her recent experiences in theatre directing and acting include: in 2023, as the revival director of Sophokle’s “Electra”, which was invited work of the 33rd Macao Arts Festival (in 2018’s premiere, she was Chinese director of this work, which was part of the Shanghai International Arts Festival.) ; in 2022, as the lead actress of "Hudec", which was invited to present in the Wuzhen Theatre Festival; in 2021-2023, as the lead actress of "Letter to A Child Never Born" (as Oriana Fallaci), which was staged at the Shanghai Drama Art Center.

Aside from the above, in October 2015, she had a 2-month residency project Body Encounter at Rote Fabrik, funded by Pro Helvetia. And in December 2018, she was funded by Culture Ministry of China to resident in Tromso International Film Festival.

In addition, she is often invited as a guest speaker to participate in various art forums, such as "The Female Gaze of Women Filmmakers” Talk Series organized by the Shanghai American Center in 2022, "Photography In Theater" Talk with Karen Smith etc. organized by the Shanghai Center for Photography in 2019.