Johnson Chang (Cantonese: Chang Tsong-zung;[1]Chinese: 張頌仁) is a curator and dealer of contemporary Chinese art. He is a co-founder of the Asia Art Archive (AAA) in Hong Kong and a guest professor of the China Academy of Art in Hangzhou.[2]The New York Times described him as "a force in contemporary Chinese art since the 1980s",[3] and Sotheby's described him as "the godfather of contemporary Chinese art".[4]
It was through his gallery that he organized exhibitions of the Taiwanese sculptor Ju Ming at the Singapore Art Museum in 1986 and Place Vendôme in Paris in 1997. It was also with Hanart that he staged "China’s New Art Post-1989," which debuted at the 1993 Hong Kong Arts Festival and then toured the United States from 1995 to 1997.[citation needed]
In Shanghai in late 2010, Chang organized "West Heavens," a contemporary art collaboration between China and India.[3]
In their annual "The Power 100" listing, Art Review named Chang, alongside Claire Hsu, for their co-founding of the AAA.[7]
Personal
Chang is known for wearing old-fashioned Chinese-styled outfits with Mandarin collars.[citation needed]
He was a friend of the late Sir David Tang, founder of Shanghai Tang.[8] Chang helped Tang put together the China Club's art collection.[9] Chang is an active part of Hong Kong's social scene and has been listed in Asia Tatler's "Top List."[10]
