Hung Keung

1970 Kunming, Yunnan, China

Introduction

Hong Kong-based Hung Keung is known for his interactive installations that integrate film, video and digital new media with classical Chinese themes of philosophy, art and literature. One of his best known interactive projects Dao Gives Birth to One (2009–2012) examined and visualized the relationship between human beings and the Daoist notion of “ten thousand things”. Through his innovative and completely original interactive strategies, Hung creates novel ways for audiences to experience and engage with traditional themes and concepts.

Everywhere is the artist’s interpretation of “three distances” (三遠)—the three ways Chinese artists traditionally expressed distance in landscape painting—as well as the concept of “perceiving details from a macroscopic perspective” (以大觀小). Hung has expanded the viewing experience to the four-dimensional. Viewers are engaged within a virtual scene, where hundreds of Chinese characters in the form of radicals are projected on the wall and move in constant motion, clustering around moving objects. The characters include the words for human being, power, success, which according to the artist, represent a blessing from him to the city where he grew up. The new work from this series was on display at Hong Kong Palace Museum's inaugural exhibition No Boundaries: Reinterpreting Palace Museum Culture in 2022-2023.

Hung Keung received Diploma (Design) from Hong Kong Polytechnic University, his BA from the Fine Arts department of The Chinese University of Hong Kong, MA in film and video from Central Saint Martins, London, and PhD from Zurich University of the Arts and University of Plymouth, UK, in digital media and Chinese philosophy. He was the visiting scholar, ZKM Center for Art and Media, Karlsruhe, Germany in 2001-02, and the grantee of Asian Cultural Council Award in 2005. Currently an Associate Professor and MA (VAECP) Programme Leader in the Department of Cultural and Creative Arts, Education University of Hong Kong.

Alisan Fine Arts has been included his works in one of the gallery's landmark exhibitions A Legacy of Ink: Lui Shou-Kwan 40 Years On at Hong Kong Arts Centre in 2015, and POP ROCK in 2021 is our second time working with the artist. His work was on display at Hong Kong Palace Museum’s inaugural exhibition No Boundaries: Reinterpreting Palace Museum Culture in 2022-2023, and at Hong Kong Museum of Art as part of the exhibition By the People: Creative Chinese Characters in 2023. His latest video installation of Four Seasons will be included in the inaugural project of Shenzhen Art Museum curated by Prof Pi Daojian, from 26 Jan until 9 Apr, 2024.


BIOGRAPHY
1970 Born in Yunnan, China
1992 Diploma (Design), Swire School of Design, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong
1995 Bachelor of Arts (Hons), Department of Fine Arts, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
Involved in the creation and research of film, video and new media art internationally
1997 Master of Arts (Film & Video), Central Saint Martin's College of Art and Design, London, UK
2001-02 Visiting scholar, ZKM Center for Art and Media, Karlsruhe, Germany
2002 Adjunct professor, Kolding Design College, Kolding, Denmark
2005 Grantee of Asian Cultural Council Award
Established “innov + media lab” (imhk lab) which focuses on new media art and design research in relation to Chinese philosophy and interaction
2005-17 Assistant Professor ([BA] Communication Design), School of Design, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong 
2006 Visiting artist, University of California Berkeley, USA
2010 Guest Lecturer ([MFA] Critique of Contemporary Arts), Academy of Film, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong
2014 PhD, Zurich University of Arts, Switzerland
PhD, Plymouth University, UK
2015 Visiting Artist & Scholar, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
2017- Associate Professor and MA (VAECP) Programme Leader, Department of Cultural and Creative Arts, Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
2019 Visiting Scholar, Faculty of Education, Western University, Canada
2022 Visiting Artist & Scholar, University of Hawaii at Hilo, Hawaii, USA
2023 Collaborative project with Joseph Chan, Airside, Hong Kong

SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2023-2024

2020

  • Hung Keung Solo: Digital Media Art & Boddiattva, Poland (Postponed due to Covid 19)

2019

  • Magic Behind the Moon: Mid-Autumn Lantern Carnivals-Interactive Lighting Installation, Hong Kong Cultural Center Piazza, Hong Kong
  • The MOMENT, Outdoor Interactive Guard Booth & Digital G-Glass & LED TV Installation Art, Tsim Sha Tsui Clock Tower, Hong Kong

2015

  • Catharsis: Real But Not True, AM Space, Hong Kong

2013

  • Hong Kong in Visible, Schoeni Art Gallery, Hong Kong

2012

  • Chinese Arts Centre, Manchester, UK
  • White Box, University of Oregon, Portland, Oregon, USA

2011

  • Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art, Eugene, Oregon, USA

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2024

  • The Glory of Ink Painting: From Lingnan School pf Painting to Greater Bay Area Contemporary Ink Painting Exhibition, Inaugural Project, Shenzhen Art Museum, Shenzhen, China

2023

  • Digital Art Exhibition, Digital Matter, Lingnan University Arts Festival, M+ Tower, Hong Kong
  • PMQ deTour Design Festival, PMQ, Hong Kong
  • Digital Dialogues: Exploring the Digital Intersection of Art, Culture, and Nature Hung Keung & Colin H Ives He- Edaucation University of Hong Kong x University of Oregon International Collaborative Exhibition, Cultural and Creatuve Arts Gallery, Edaucation University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
  • Art Basel Hong Kong, Alisan Fine Arts,Hong Kong Convention & Exhibtion Centre, Hong Kong
  • By the People: Creative Chinese Characters, Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong
  • The Art of Creative Research, Exhibition and Seminar, Art Gallery of National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore

2022-2023

  • Inaugural Exhibition: No Boundaries: Reinterpreting Palace Museum Culture, Hong Kong Palace Museum, Hong Kong

2022

  • Digital Art Fair, Asia Standard Tower, Hong Kong
  • New Rhythm of Line: Contemporary Hong Kong Ink Art, Hong Kong City Hall, Hong Kong 
  • 32nd Macau Arts Festival: Wild Imagination: Contemporary Ink Art in Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau from 2000 to 2022, Macau Museum of Art, Macau

2021

2020-2021

  • Wild Imagination - Contemporary Ink Art in Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau from 2000 to 2020Guangdong Museum of Art, Guangzhou, China

2020

  • Drawing as the Core, Koo Ming Kown Exhibition Gallery, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong
  • 5th Tengyun Summit 2020 – Fluid Boundaries, Tencent Beijing headquarter, Beijing, China

2019

  • Hong Kong Experience • Hong Kong Experiment, Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong

2018

  • Love Long: Robert Indiana and AsiaAsia Society Hong Kong, Hong Kong

2017-2018

  • Luminous Shadows, Ink Studio, Beijing, China

2017

  • Igniting Art, Fuelling Creativity Project: Sparkle! Temperature of Communication, Oi!, Hong Kong

2015

2014

  • Conforming to Vicinity – A Cross-Strait Four-Region Artistic Exchange Project, Macau Museum of Art, Macau; Pingtung Art Museum, Taiwan; He Xiangning Art Museum, Shenzhen; University Museum and Art Gallery, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong

2013

  • Young Artist Project: Video Festival Loop, Seoul, Korea
  • Move on Asia – Video Art in Asia 2002 to 2012, ZKM Center for Art and Media, Karlsruhe, Germany
  • Art Basel Hong Kong, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, Hong Kong

2011

  • Jakarta Biennale, Indonesia

SELECTED AWARDS
2022 
Gold Medal, 13rdThe International Innovation and Invention Competition, Taiwan
Silver Award; Hong Kong Best Award; Judges Choice (Oscar de la Hera Gomez) Award, Global Design Awards, Hong Kong Designers Association, Hong Kong
2021 Gold Medal; Best 10 Invention Designs Award, International Invention Innovation Competition, Canada
Artist of the Year (Media Arts), 15th Hong Kong Arts Development Awards, Hong Kong Arts Development Council, Hong Kong
Gold Medal, Invention Geneva Evaluation Days Special Edition, Switzerland
2020 Gold Medal, International Innovation and Invention Competition, Taiwan
Merit Award, DFA Design for Asia Awards, Hong Kong
Best Experimental, Los Angeles Film & Script Festival Award, Los Angeles, USA
2019-2020 Specific Student Empowerment Work Scheme, Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
Globalink Research Award Abroad, Canada
2019 Honorable Mentions, Canada Shorts: Canadian and International Short Film Festival, Canada
Official Selection, Supernova.video Festival, Belgium
Award Winner, Five Continents International Film Festival, Venezuela
Official Selection, Golden Gate International Film Festival, San Jose, USA
Bronze Award; Best Experimental Film, International Independent Film, Los Angeles, USA
Best Experimental Film; Best Silent Film, Mahul Woods International Film Festival, India
Experimental Film (Outstanding Achievement Award), L’Age d’Or International Arthouse Film Festival, India
Winner of Best Asian Short Film, Asian Cinematography Awards, Manila, Philippines
Certificate of Excellent (Official Selection) Short Film, 7th Indian Cine Film Festival, India
2018 
Excellence Award (Digital Media), HKDA Global Design Awards, Hong Kong
Silver Award, International Trade Fair Ideas-Innovations-New Product, Nuremberg, Germany
Finalists, Sovereign Asian Art Prize, Sovereign Art Foundation, Hong Kong
2013 Selected Work, Hong Kong Contemporary Art Awards, Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong
2011 Secretary for Home Affairs Commendation Scheme Award (Person with Outstanding Contributions to the Development of Arts and Culture), Secretary for Home Affairs, Hong Kong
Award for Best Artist (Media Arts), Hong Kong Arts Development Awards, Hong Kong Arts Development Council, Hong Kong
2010 Achievement Award, Contemporary Hong Kong Art Biennial Awards, Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong
2008 Merit Recognition, Design for Asia Award, Hong Kong Design Centre, Hong Kong
2007 Award for Outstanding Young Artist (Film and Media Arts), Hong Kong Arts Development Awards, Hong Kong Arts Development Council, Hong Kong
2006 Best of Code Award; Special Mention, Microwave International New Media Arts Festival, Hong Kong
Special Mention, Single-Screen-Based Interactive Media Category, Hong Kong Independent Short Film and Video Awards, Hong Kong
2005   Desiree and Hans Michael Jebsen Fellowship, Asian Cultural Council, USA & Hong Kong
2002 President’s Award (Outstanding Performance & Achievements in Research and Scholarly Activities), Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong
Special Award for New Media, International Festival of New Film & Video, Split, Croatia
2001 Prize of Excellent, Contemporary Hong Kong Art Biennial Exhibition, Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong
Second Prize, Computer Graphics International–Digital Media Art Track, Hong Kong City University, Hong Kong
Special Mention Interactive CDROM Award, E-PHOS 3rd International of Film & New Media on Art, Athens, Greece
DAAD Scholarship, Institute for Visual Media Technology, Karlsruhe, Germany
1998 Gold Award, Hong Kong Independent Short Film & Video Awards, Hong Kong
Best Short Ambient Video Award, BBC British Film Festival, UK
Best of EMAF, European Media Art Festival, Germany
1997 Special Award (Video); Distinguished Award; Best Selected Works, Hong Kong Independent Short Film and Video Awards, Hong Kong
1995 Alfred SU HO Memorial Prize, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
1994 Mr YS Hui Arts Collection Award, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
1993 Most Promising Artist Award, Philippe Charriol Foundation Modern Arts Competition, Hong Kong

SELECTED COLLECTIONS
Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong
Hong Kong Palace Museum, Hong Kong
Hong Kong Cultural Centre, Hong Kong
Asia Society Hong Kong, Hong Kong
Regent Hotel, Hong Kong
Hotel Icon, Hong Kong
Sino Group, Hong Kong
Best Galaxy Limited, Hong Kong 
Chanel, France & Hong Kong
Peninsula Beijing, Beijing, China
Nanjing International Youth Cultural Centre, Nanjing, China
 
Four Seasons: Extended Time Series (V.3)
2023 | 15’ in loop | Multi channels video with sound
Purifying and Integrating (V.3) (B/W)
2023 | Size varies; video 1’22’’ in loop; Editions: 3 | Digital video installation (with meditation cushion and buddha statue sculpture)
Purifying and Integrating (V.3) (Colour)
2023 | Size varies; video 1’24” in loop; Editions: 3 | Digital video installation (with meditation cushion and buddha statue sculpture)
Grain Rain Series-Gold-plated Heart Sutra 1
2024 | 39" in loop | Digital moving image
Grain Rain Series-Gold-plated Heart Sutra 2
2024 | 1'07" in loop | Digital moving image
Grain Rain Series-Flower with Flying Text 15-Heart Sutra Version
2023 | 19” in loop | Digital moving image
Grain Rain Series-Flower with Flying Text 16-Heart Sutra Version
2023 | 9” in loop | Digital moving image
Grain Rain Series-Flower with Flying Text 1
2023 | 30” in loop | Digital moving image
Grain Rain Series-Flower with Flying Text 2
2023 | 33” in loop | Digital moving image
Grain Rain Series-Flower with Flying Text 3
2023 | 19” in loop | Digital moving image
Grain Rain Series-Flower with Flying Text 4
2023 | 8” in loop | Digital moving image
Grain Rain Series-Flower with Flying Text 5
2023 | 12” in loop | Digital moving image
Grain Rain Series-Flower with Flying Text 6
2023 | 25” in loop | Digital moving image
Grain Rain Series-Flower with Flying Text 7
2023 | 15” in loop | Digital moving image
Grain Rain Series-Flower with Flying Text 8
2023 | 7” in loop | Digital moving image
Grain Rain Series-Flower with Flying Text 9-Gold Version
2023 | 21” in loop | Digital moving image
Grain Rain Series-Flower with Flying Text 12
2023 | 12” in loop | Digital moving image
Grain Rain Series-Flower with Flying Text 13-Gold Version
2023 | 14” in loop | Digital moving image
Grain Rain Series-Flower with Flying Text 14 (B/W)
2022 | 15” in loop | Digital moving image
Grain Rain 02
2022 | 40x40cm; Edition: Artist proof 1/3 | Silkscreen printed in 7 colours on Somerest paper
Grain Rain 03
2022 | 40x40cm; Edition: Artist proof 1/3 | Silkscreen printed in 7 colours on Somerest paper
Bodhisattva 1
2018-2019 | 43.5x30cm | Chinese ink on rice paper (with carpenter’s handmade wooden frame)
Bodhisattva 2
2018-2019 | 43.5x30cm | Chinese ink on rice paper (with carpenter’s handmade wooden frame)
Four Seasons: Falling Flowers+Drifting Clouds (V.2)
2022 | Size varies; 4m26s | Digital installation with HD moving image and sound