Wu Tsang facts for kids

Wu Tsang (born in 1982 in Worcester, Massachusetts) is a talented filmmaker, artist, and performer. She lives and works in New York and Berlin. Her art often explores stories that haven't been widely told, especially those about people who are often overlooked. She also looks at the idea of performing itself. In 2018, Wu Tsang received a special award called the MacArthur "genius" grant.

Wu Tsang explains that her films, videos, and performances explore the "in-between" spaces. This means she looks at ideas and people that can't be easily put into simple "either/or" categories. Her films often mix storytelling with real-life documentary styles. They don't fully fit into just one type.

Her projects have been shown in many famous museums around the world. These include the Tate Modern in London, the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam, and the Migros Museum in Zurich. Her work has also been seen at the Whitney Museum and the New Museum in New York. Other places include the MCA Chicago, MoCA Los Angeles, and SFMOMA in San Francisco. In 2012, she was part of important art shows like the Whitney Biennial, Liverpool Biennial, and Gwangju Biennial.

Education and Learning

Wu Tsang studied art at two well-known universities. She earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.) degree in 2004 from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Later, she received her Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.) degree in 2010 from the University of California at Los Angeles.

Creative Works

Films and Videos

Wu Tsang is known for her unique films. She often tells stories that are important but might not be widely known.

Short Films

Wu Tsang has directed several short films:

• Under Cinema (2017): This film follows R&B singer Kelela. It explores the life of a Black artist. The film is shot closely with a handheld camera. It shows Kelela at a festival, in the studio, and sharing her thoughts.
• Duilian (2015): This film looks at the life and writings of Qiu Jin. She was a Chinese feminist revolutionary. She was executed at age 31 for trying to start a revolution. The film also highlights her close bond with calligrapher Wu Zhuying. Wu Tsang plays Wu Zhuying, and her frequent collaborator, Boychild, plays Qiu Jin. The film uses Qiu Jin's poems and Wushu Martial Arts to create powerful scenes.
• You're Dead to Me (2013): This story is set in suburban California. A mother is grieving the loss of her child. On the night before Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), Death offers her a special choice. The film was shown at many film festivals. It won awards for best short film and best actress.
• Tied and True (2012): This film was co-written with Nana Oforiatta-Ayim. It takes place in a fictional African city. It tells the story of two young people. The film explores themes of fitting in and being different.
• Mishima in Mexico (2012): This film stars Alex Segade and Wu Tsang. It is inspired by a 1950 novel. The story is set in Mexico City. A writer and director stay in a hotel to work on their creative ideas. They bring the novel's themes into their own work and lives.
• Wildness (2012): This film tells the story of a weekly party and clinic. Wu Tsang hosted it at the Silver Platter bar in Los Angeles. The film is a creative story about what happened there. It is narrated by Tsang and the Silver Platter bar itself. Wu Tsang said she approached this film like an activist. She felt it was important to tell the stories of her friends at the bar. Many of them were facing challenges but were still thriving. Making Wildness helped her learn how to write, direct, and edit films. The film premiered at The Museum of Modern Art in 2012.

Feature Films

• MOBY DICK; or, The Whale (2022): This is a 75-minute silent film. It is shown with a live orchestra. It's an adaptation of Herman Melville's classic 1851 book, Moby-Dick. The film offers a new way of looking at the story. It was inspired by a book that studied Moby-Dick in relation to greed and social classes. Tsang's film shows the ship's crew in a way that goes beyond typical ideas of gender and race. The main characters, Ishmael and Queequeg, are shown as lovers. The film premiered in 2022. It was shown at the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum in Madrid in 2023.

Art Installations

• Moved by the Motion (2014–2015) is a series of performances and artworks. It blends fiction and documentary. It was presented as a live performance in 2014. It also became a video installation in an exhibition in 2015.
• Anthem (2021): Anthem is a "film portrait." It was made with singer and composer Beverly Glenn-Copeland. The installation includes a large projection of Glenn-Copeland.

Awards and Recognitions

Wu Tsang has received many awards for her work. In 2012, Filmmaker Magazine named her one of their "25 New Faces of Independent Film." Her film Wildness won the Grand Jury Award for Outstanding Documentary at Outfest 2012. Also in 2012, her art was featured in the Whitney Biennial and the New Museum Triennial.

She won the Foundation for Contemporary Arts Grants to Artists award in 2013. In 2014, she was part of the Hammer Museum's "Made in L.A." biennial. She received a Creative Capital Award in 2015 for her project A Day in the Life of Bliss. Wu Tsang was honored with the MacArthur Genius Award in 2018. From 2019 to 2024, Tsang was the director-in-residence at the Schauspielhaus (City Theatre) Zurich. Most recently, in 2025, Wu Tsang was chosen as the Soloman Fellow at Harvard University. This means she will share her ideas with Harvard students through public talks.

Filmography

• Wildness
• Mishima in Mexico
• Tied and True
• You're Dead to Me
• Duilian
• Under Cinema

See also

In Spanish: Wu Tsang para niños

• List of transgender film and television directors