A dancer, sculptor, and photographer, Anthony Zhang ’21 pursues his various passions while at Kent. Though Zhang started painting and drawing from a young age, Kent is what sparked his exploration into sculpture and photography.

In sculpture, Zhang focuses on geometric and crystalline sculptures with simple designs but detailed carvings, representing both the simplicity and complexity of life. They also resemble crystals in a way, a reference to his investigation for AP Studio Art 3-D. One of the themes discussed in his work is how existence as a person “is like a droplet in a cave. We’re all gone in an instant compared to the entirety of time.”

Ms. Lynch, the Chair of the Art Department, found this sentiment very inspiring. That one sentence Zhang wrote turned into his entire installation project, inspiring him to make more crystalline shapes.

However, Zhang’s photography is very different from his sculptures. He uses a digital camera to produce black-and-white photos, though other photographers normally utilize a film camera to do so. He admits that it is not very conventional, but Zhang enjoys the artificialness of the resulting image. This plastic and unrealistic look contrasts with the rest of his artwork and prompts him to discover more innovative photography techniques.

When describing his most recent piece, “Solidarity,” he says, “I don’t want you to say, ‘Oh, this is about being alone.’ I want you to look at it and say, ‘Oh, this is really interesting, it could represent anything!’” Zhang hopes the open-ended nature of his work will provoke deeper thought in its viewers.

Outside of the visual arts, Zhang is involved in the dance program at Kent. He both participates in routines and helps choreograph dances. Working together with other dancers, Zhang has created unbreakable bonds and strong memories.

Encouraging other people to dance, Zhang laughs, “Everyone thinks that dance is so judgmental, but we’re really not! We have all fallen, and we have all been there before when someone would ask us to do something in French, and we’re, like, ‘What is that?’ So, we’re really open to everybody!”

Ms. Morris, the Director of Kent Dance, says that Zhang is an advocate for the student experience and he displays impressive knowledge about his strengths and weaknesses. When discussing his choreography, she says, “He has always been ambitious about his ideas, but it’s getting more cohesive now. He’s a great student to have in dance because he is very obvious about growing as a student. I’m very proud of Anthony.”