Exploring Life & Business with Tony Zhu of AMPHI Gallery

Today we’d like to introduce you to Tony Zhu.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
About ten years ago, I finished my MFA in Creative Producing at CalArts. That was really the moment I stepped into the contemporary art world. For a few years, I worked in museums where I was mainly responsible for public programs in performance art. It was an exciting time, but as I kept working and expanding my circle, I found myself increasingly drawn toward fine art.
It was also during this period that I met my wife, Lu Chen (the artistic director at AMPHI Gallery) in Beijing. She had studied art history at the University of Bristol and earned her master’s degree there, and she was already deeply involved in the field, working as an editor, a curator, and in other roles. We quickly realized we shared the same sensibility when it came to contemporary art. One day, almost half-joking but also quite serious, I said to her, “What if we opened a gallery?”
I also named the gallery AMPHI, inspired by the concept of the amphitheater from performance art. Traditionally, an amphitheater is a circular theater, symbolizing the breaking of boundaries in how we experience art. The name reflects both my starting point in studying art and my vision for the physical space of a contemporary art gallery.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It has definitely not been a smooth journey, although I’m fortunate to have the support of my friends, family, and the local art community. For me, the toughest challenge has been balancing my own aesthetic vision with the realities of the art market. As we all know, the global art market has been going through major shifts, mid-sized galleries closing down, a generational change in collectors, new habits in art consumption after the pandemic, and so on.
At times, I’ve felt I had to completely let go of my previous assumptions in order to adapt, whether it’s about how to price works or which pieces are more likely to sell. But on the other hand, I keep reminding myself that if I constantly adjust to market signals alone, the gallery risks losing its identity, which could be just as damaging.
Thankfully, my team and I have gradually found our direction. We’re about to open our third exhibition in November, a Neo-Surrealist group show that brings together artists from different generations, and I feel very confident about it.

Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about AMPHI Gallery?
About AMPHI Gallery
Established by Tony Zhu and Lu Chen in 2024 in South Pasadena, AMPHI is a contemporary art gallery committed to discovering and presenting work by local and international artists. With a focus on experimentation and dialogue, the gallery provides a platform for artists to develop and share new ideas, and works with artists and communities to explore the evolving roles and meanings of physical gallery spaces in a hypermediated era.
Address: 49 W. Del Mar Blvd.Pasadena, CA 91105

What do you do, what do you specialize in / what are you known for?
Tony Zhu is the director of AMPHI Gallery. He holds an MFA in Creative Producing from CalArts and has extensive experience in performance art management.
Lu Chen earned her Master’s degree in Art History from the University of Bristol and has worked as an editor for art magazines, a curator, and a manager for artist studios.

What sets you apart from others? What are you most proud brand wise? What do you want our readers to know about your brand, offerings, services, etc?
As co-founders of the gallery, we bring together academic training, deep industry experience, and strong networks within the Asian contemporary art scene. AMPHI Gallery aims to explore new possibilities for the role of a physical gallery space. In the coming months, we will introduce a section dedicated to art merchandise, along with a series of art projects and educational programs.
In addition to traditional art sales, we provide collectors and art enthusiasts with advisory, educational, and social opportunities. At the same time, we offer artists at different stages of their careers a platform tailored to their individual needs.

We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
In art business, luck has certainly played a role. What’s interesting is how good luck and bad luck can sometimes transform into one another. Before our gallery’s first exhibition, the LA wildfires struck. One of the artists we planned to collaborate with lost both her studio and her works, and we had to postpone the opening. Yet the fire also gave the exhibition a unique sense of cohesion. The show, Mining in the Age of, drew on California’s Gold Rush to explore humanity’s relationship with natural resource extraction. It’s a theme that resonated strongly in the context of the fires. We also organized an artist talk, Art and Memory, with Cara Levine and curator Alan Chin, reflecting on the wildfire’s impact on our community and considering how we might rebuild.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.amphigallery.com
• Instagram: amphi____
• Other: Artsy: https://www.artsy.net/partner/amphi-gallery

Image Credits
Photo by Carlotta Guerra and Coleman Weimer. © AMPHI Gallery.