Pink Fang And Hunter College Theatre Department Present THE PING CHONG ARCHIVAL SYMPOSIUM

Pink Fang (formerly Ping Chong and Company), in partnership with the Hunter College Theatre Department, will present the Ping Chong Archival Symposium on Saturday, December 6, 2025, at the Ida K. Lang Recital Hall at Hunter College (CUNY). The event caps a semester-long collaboration featuring screenings, workshops, and class visits exploring the archive and enduring influence of interdisciplinary artist Ping Chong.

The free, public symposium will convene artists, scholars, and students for a day of conversation, panels, and artistic “archival activations,” illuminating the impact, evolution, and future of Chong’s five-decade career.

“This symposium is both a celebration and a continuation of Ping’s lifelong inquiry into how art can create understanding across differences and be the basis for pedagogical and intergenerational, community-centered approaches,” said the Pink Fang Leadership Team — Jane Jung, Mei Ann Teo, and Sara Zatz. “As we move forward as Pink Fang, the ongoing preservation and activation of Ping Chong’s archive is a key pillar of our mission and work.”

SYMPOSIUM PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

The symposium will include:

Keynote Conversation (12:00–1:30 PM): Ping Chong in Conversation with Mei Ann Teo, Artistic Director of New Work at Pink Fang.

Panel Discussion (2:00–3:30 PM): Ping Chong and Pedagogy, exploring the artist’s impact on theatre education. Panelists include Victoria Abrash, Dongshin Chang, Claudia Orenstein, Yuko Kurahashi, and Christopher Totten; moderated by Priscilla Page.

Archival Activation (4:00–5:30 PM): Six artists will present original creative responses to Chong’s archive, featuring Nile Harris, Tomi Tsunoda, Kate Freer, Johnnie Cruise Mercer, Kirya Traber, and Tuce Yasak.

Closing Reception (5:45–7:00 PM): Hosted by Hunter College Theatre Department and Pink Fang.

PRE-SYMPOSIUM EVENTS

Leading up to the December 6 gathering, Pink Fang and Hunter College will host a series of free public screenings and workshops throughout November, offering audiences opportunities to engage directly with Chong’s body of work.

Tuesday, November 4 | Inside/Out: Voices from the Disability Community (11:00 AM–1:00 PM), followed by I Will Not Be Sad in This World and Angels of Swedenborg (5:30–7:30 PM).
Thursday, November 20 | Hunter College Community Workshop with Pink Fang Artists (11:30 AM–1:30 PM).
Thursday, December 4 | Cathay: Three Tales of China (5:30–7:30 PM).

These events will include post-screening discussions led by Pink Fang collaborators, faculty, and guest artists.

Registration for all symposium events and screenings is free and open to the public. Interested attendees may register via the Ping Chong Archival Symposium Registration Form.

A PARTNERSHIP ROOTED IN EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY

The symposium is part of a semester-long collaboration between Pink Fang and Hunter College Theatre Department, including the co-taught course Multicultural Theatre Performance: Engaging Community Voices and Stories, led by Dongshin Chang and Chaesong Kim with guest participation from Sara Zatz.

“The Hunter College Theatre Department values these opportunities for our diverse students to engage and explore the work and artistic practice of Ping Chong,” said Louisa Thompson, Chair of the Hunter College Theatre Department. “I am excited to extend this exploration to the larger community.”

This partnership builds on Pink Fang’s history of university collaborations. During the 2025–26 season, the company will also partner with LaGuardia Community College and The New School to deepen dialogue between academia and socially engaged performance.

ABOUT Ping Chong

Ping Chong is an internationally acclaimed interdisciplinary artist and founder of Ping Chong and Company. Since 1972, he has created over 100 original works for the stage worldwide. In 1992, Chong created Undesirable Elements, a continuing series of community-based oral history performances exploring culture and identity. His honors include two OBIE Awards, two BESSIE Awards, a Doris Duke Performing Artist Award, a Ford Foundation Art of Change Fellowship, and the National Medal of Arts (2014). His archive is housed at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.

ABOUT HUNTER COLLEGE THEATRE DEPARTMENT

The Hunter College Theatre Department is a diverse community of students and faculty located in the heart of New York City. The department offers BA, MA, and MFA programs emphasizing theatre history, theory, and practice, while supporting students’ engagement with contemporary performance and professional production experiences.

ABOUT PINK FANG