Artist Biography

Black and white image of several koi fish swimming in water.

BIO / ZIYU ZHANG / ELVA

Ziyu Zhang (b.2007) is a visual storyteller currently based in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, guided by an intuitive philosophy rooted in her name: to perceive the world from perspectives beyond her own. Her photography acts as a portal, framing delicate, overlooked moments to build a personal mythology that explores identity, cultural boundaries, and the quiet dialogues between people and place.

A woman in dark clothing stands in a corner of an elevator, holding a piece of paper or pamphlet in front of her face, partially obscuring her face.
A young woman with long dark hair, wearing a beret and leather jacket, sitting in front of a black curtain, holding a camera in one hand, with a bottle next to her.

Her practice spans multiple disciplines, from exhibited gallery works and editorial features on PhotoVogue, to documenting events like New Zealand Fashion Week. Ziyu is also an award-winning filmmaker; her short film The Moving was selected for the Macau International Film Festival, and she directs socially engaged video projects that have garnered national recognition.

Ziyu’s approach is deeply human—she thrives on the serendipity of connection, viewing each encounter as a fleeting, singular gift. Whether exchanging glances with a stranger on a city tram or sharing laughter backstage with musicians before a show, she embraces these unscripted moments as the raw material of her visual language. With sensitivity and spontaneity, Ziyu transforms ephemeral interactions into lasting images, capturing not only faces and gestures but the emotional resonance that lingers long after the moment has passed. Her camera becomes both a bridge and a diary, tracing the quiet, often unseen poetry of human presence.