Meet Chenxi Zhang | Animation Director

We had the good fortune of connecting with Chenxi Zhang and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Chenxi, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
I have gradually come to realize that artistic creation has become an inseparable part of me. Through creating art, I continuously explore and understand myself better, allowing me to express thoughts and emotions that I cannot convey through words alone.

I have a desire to connect with others, yet I also fear it. If being misunderstood is the fate of those who express themselves, then art provides me with a safe and open space to think out loud. It doesn’t require precise or standard words and symbols. In my work, I can seek deep, irrational connections and resonance with the outside world.

Through my art, I have met many sincere and valuable friends. By continuing to create, I keep encountering and reconnecting with these friends.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I hope my work serves a functional purpose: to resonate with the deepest parts of the audience’s hearts through continuous self-exploration, healing the numbness within myself and my relationships, and illuminating the dust-covered hearts. Our generation is under immense pressure, overwhelmed by the rapid influx of information and fast-paced developments. Often, people feel compelled to continuously push their limits to keep up with the times. When we stray too far from our starting point, we sometimes can’t tell if we are genuinely strong or just pretending. This makes it difficult for us to express our true thoughts. We lose sight of ourselves and cannot truly see others. Through my work, I aim to explore the neglected, hidden emotions within my family and myself, expressing the words I cannot speak directly, and reaching out to those who struggle to respond to me. I hope my work can act as a bridge, connecting the audience with the people on the other side of their lives.

The biggest challenge in my creative process is facing my own heart and overcoming my lack of confidence in expressing personal emotions. I am highly guarded, both towards the outside world and myself. In any environment, I project various irrational self-defenses, making it difficult to discern my true thoughts. When I peel away these defenses sincerely, I feel extremely vulnerable or believe that my expressions are meaningless and no one will listen. During the conceptual phase of my recent short film, I cried every night. Eventually, I didn’t even know why I was crying. To find the root cause, I immersed myself in sadness by listening to music and looking at old photos, repeatedly writing down and analyzing potential sources of my pain and emotions. This seems to be a necessary process—letting my emotions transcend logic and self-imposed limits to recall the hidden or forgotten details of my past. My artistic expression becomes a fragile boat navigating the sea of memories, searching for inspiration. My mind is the blind captain, groping in the dark for a possible direction based on intuition. My hands are the sailors, faithfully recording everything they see and think.

Through this creative process, I realized that I can settle down and gradually open myself, carefully revisiting each memory and savoring every emotion. I can choose to reveal all my thoughts or express them selectively, leaving more room for dialogue with the audience. No one demands that I say the right things or do the right deeds. When the work is completed and screened, it always finds its own audience.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I would like to have my friend experienced this journey at the same leisurely pace I came to know Los Angeles:

Starting from Stevenson Ranch, we’ll hike along the trails to the California Institute of the Arts, exploring every corner of the campus. Then we’ll take the shuttle to Valencia Town Center for some shopping, followed by a bus ride to Newhall to enjoy the best Chinese food in Santa Clarita at One Bite Dumpling. From there, we’ll take the Metrolink to Union Station, stroll through Little Tokyo, and visit The Broad, LACMA, Getty Museum, and The Museum of Jurassic Technology. We’ll then explore K-Town or Chinatown for some great food. As night falls, we’ll head to Griffith Observatory to see the bustling city of Los Angeles under the night sky.

Once we have a car, we’ll drive to Ventura Pier for some fishing and enjoy the changing tides. At night, we’ll head to the hills near Castaic to stargaze and identify constellations.

On weekends, we’ll volunteer for local plant conservation projects, weeding and planting.

Everything will be done at our own pace, savoring the serene and beautiful daily life.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
During my five years of studying and creating in the United States, my thesis advisor, Kangmin Kim, has had a profound impact on me. He is an incredibly talented and meticulous stop-motion animator, as well as a dedicated and caring teacher. He taught me to face myself bravely and guided me to use my knowledge to shape my work into an honest personal language. My graduation project production was a painful process, and I remember him always telling me that I am not just a student, but also an artist and a director, and that I should believe in myself.

Through him, I saw the qualities of an excellent educator: genuine respect for students, a willingness to understand and communicate, and unwavering support. He often carried a camera around the thesis production studios, capturing behind-the-scenes moments of our creative processes. Even after work, he would offer one-on-one online tutoring to students in need. Despite his busy schedule, he manages to produce a high volume of creative work, never hesitating to try new ideas and technologies.

He is also a dedicated father, deeply committed to his family and children. His works reflect his sensitive and emotional perspective on family life. He is one of the best teachers I have ever met, and even after graduation, I often think of his guidance when I encounter difficulties. No matter what stage of life I am in, I always feel encouraged by his example.

Website: http://chenxizhang.art/

Instagram: @chenxizhang0713

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/xixizhang0713