2020 Arts Award: Ziyang Xiang
by Ally Lardner ‘21
Senior Ziyang Xiang reflects on his time and growth as an artist at BC as a Studio Art major.
Ziyang Xiang (MCAS ‘20)
Major: Studio Art
Minor: Philosophy
Exhibitions:
Gallery 203, “Mid-year Show”
Gallery 203, “Through the Looking Glass”
Gallery 203 “1968”
Construction AREA Gallery, “Undergraduate Photography Now VIII”
How have you been involved in the arts at BC?
I am a Studio Arts senior, so I’ve taken several art classes at BC, and I’ve had three shows at Gallery 203, Carney Hall. Last December, was the mid-year show for Studio Art seniors.
My first show in the Carney Gallery was called 1968. The second show was my collaboration between my friend Darius and me. We did a show called Through the Looking Glass last October. It started with the topic “looking through the glass,” and then we developed our own projects around that theme, and created different presentations for it.
I transferred to BC from University of Minnesota at the end of my second year. It’s been a very unique experience because I could see two very different college experiences, and student bodies who are different socially and economically.
What has been your most meaningful arts experience at BC?
Ziyang’s piece “O’Neill 2 AM.
I think the interaction with different professors has been most meaningful. The Art Department is small at BC, so you can get to know the professors very well. You can come across them every day in the department, and you can visit their office hours. They're very helpful in making art.
Also, the Carney Hall gallery is a great opportunity for art students to evolve in their practice.
How do you get a show in the Gallery 203?
The first show I did was for a class called 1968. It was an art class but also a philosophy and history class, and we did a final group show at the gallery at the end of the semester. For the second one, Through the Looking Glass, Darius and I booked the gallery space beforehand on our own. And the third one was this past March. The senior Studio Art Majors always have a midterm show. But the day we installed the pieces was Wednesday, and that night we received the email about the on-campus semester being cancelled, so the next day we had to take it all down.
How has your work in the arts at BC informed your next steps after graduation?
The professors at BC give lots of good advice, career advice. They recommended that I work for one or two years before going to grad school, because if I was to go to grad school right away, it won’t be productive or healthy. They also try to set up a discipline for us, so that we learn to work on our own. They always say, spend six or three hours outside of the classroom and try to get used to that schedule.
I think I will go to grad school, and I will focus on fine art.
What advice would you share with underclassmen at BC about getting involved in the arts?
Work first. A lot of times, we think too much because we want to come up with a good idea. But it’s a better idea to work first, and the ideas will come to you afterwards.
Have your studies in philosophy influenced your art?
I was actually a Philosophy major first. Then I took a photography class, and from there I was most inclined to making art. I think studying philosophy helps me think differently. Sometimes I try to use photographs or installations to convey philosophical ideas.
Do you have a mentor or inspiration in the arts?
Greer Muldowney is a wonderful professor. She’s a photography professor at BC and I learned about that from her. Mark Cooper, who teaches Ceramics, is a great mentor as well. I only took one ceramics class, but I learned a lot from him about being an artist independently.