Fung Ming-chip

1951

Guangdong , China

Born in Guangdong, China, in 1951 Fung Ming-Chip grew up in Hong Kong, before spending his early adult life in New York and Taiwan. Self-taught, Fung’s career spans nearly four decades and is rooted in the written word first explored through the classical art of seal engraving. The artist later expanded his artistic practice to wood-carving, ink painting, calligraphy, sculpture.

Since 1975, Fung has diligently practiced traditional calligraphy and has also been guided by the hallmarks of Abstract Expressionism, especially by the movement’s emphasis on the gestural treatment of line and space. Significantly, this school of artists, including Franz Kline, Robert Motherwell, and Mark Tobey drew their inspiration from Chinese calligraphy and culture. In 1977, he moved to New York, and since 1986, he has lived between New York, Taipei and Hong Kong before settling in Hong Kong in 2006, where he currently resides and practices. He was an artist in residence at Jesus College, Cambridge University, UK in 2004, and particiated in the project After Mi Fu Handscroll by Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA.

Through his own unique process of research and analysis, Fung Ming-Chip draws out new inferences on both a technical and conceptual level, leading him to new discoveries. To date, he has developed over one hundred and forty new strains of calligraphy. Positing and predicting new classifications in calligraphic development, Fung undertakes experiments to determine the feasibilities and possibilities inherent within each one. In this way, he not only extends the tradition of calligraphy but also expands its development as a contemporary art form.

Major exhibitions include Summoning Memories: Art Beyond Chinese Traditions, Asia Society Texas, 2023; Ink Dreams, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 2021; Arts of China: New Acquisitions, Asian Galleries, Brooklyn Museum, New York, 2019; Ink Worlds, Cantor Arts Center, Stanford University, 2018.

BIOGRAPHY
1951   Born in Guangdong, China
1956   Raised in Hong Kong where he started working after completed primary school
1977   Moved to New York, US
1986   Began living between New York, Hong Kong, and Taiwan
1986   Playwright and director of 5 dramas in Taipei, Taiwan
1992   Publication a fiction Curious Dealer’s Mermaid
2004   Artist in Residence at Jesus College, Cambridge University, UK
2006   Lives in Hong Kong
2014   Artist’s Talk, Asian Art Hong Kong, Liang Yi Museum, Hong Kong
2015   Invited to give a talk at 70 John Gallery, New York, USA
2019 Artwork featured at Spotlight Gallery Conversation: Chinese Hanging Scrolls, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia, USA
2020 Speaker, Summer Talk Serise: Development of Hong Kong Art, Alisan Fine Arts, Hong Kong

SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2020

Null Set, QM Fine Art, New York, USA

2015

Shu Fa Sutra, Galerie du Monde, Hong Kong

2013

M. Sutherland Fine Arts, New York, USA

2012

Mandarin Oriental, Miami, USA
Art Platform, Los Angeles, USA
To Be & Not To Be, The Private Museum, Singapore

2011

Asia One Art Fair, Hong Kong
Miami Art Fair, Miami, USA

2007,09

Gebert Contemporary, Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA

2006

Recent Work, Fung Ming-chip, Alisan Fine Arts, Hong Kong

2005

Beginning of Infinity, Neuhoff Gallery, New York, USA

2004

Rational Line, Jesus College, Cambridge University, UK

2002

Gallery Saka, Tokyo, Japan

2001

Hanart TZ Gallery, Hong Kong

2000

Goedhuis Contemporary, London, UK

1999

Tsing Hwa University, Hsin Chu, Taiwan
Taipei Fine Art Museum, Taipei, Taiwan
Caligrafia Chinesa de Fung Ming-chip, Galeria da Casa Garden, Fundacåo Oriente, Macau

1995

Party, Pan Pan Art Space, Taipei, Taiwan

1994

Value Transformation, Duchamp Gallery, Kaohsiung, Taiwan

1993

Variations of Seal Carving, County Cultural Centre, Taipei, Taiwan

1991

The Word by Ming-chip Fung, Quart Society, Hong Kong

1986

The Seal 1975-1985, Asian Arts Institute, New York, USA

1984

Photo Space, Catherine Gallery, New York, USA
The Seal - Another Chapter, G&G Associates Fine Art, New York, USA

1982

Lenscape, American Library, United States of America Consulate, Hong Kong

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS

- 2025
- Line, Form, Qi: Calligraphic Art from the Foundation INK Collection, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles, USA (Apr 6-Oct 19. 2025)
2024
Word Play, Alisan Fine Arts, Hong Kong
2023

Summoning Memories: Art Beyond Chinese Traditions, Asia Society Texas, Houston, USA

2022

The Magic of Zen: Celebration of Chinese Language Day, Secretariat Building, United Nations, New York, USA

2021

Flying Ink: Hengshan International Calligraphy Art Exhibition, Hengshan Calligraphy Art Center, Taoyuan, Taiwan
Ink Dreams: Selections from the Fondation INK Collection, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles, USA

2020

HKAGA Fundraiser 2020 Take 2, Alisan Fine Arts, Christie's VIP Lounge, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, Hong Kong
Uniquely Hong Kong: A Celebration of Hong Kong Art, Alisan Fine Arts, Hong Kong

2019

Arts of China: New Acquisitions, Asian Galleries, Brooklyn Museum, New York, USA
Writing/Non-writing, China Academy of Art, Hangzhou, China

2018

2050. A Brief History of the Future, National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts, Taichung, Taiwan
Ink Worlds: Contemporary Chinese Painting from the Collection of Akiko Yamazaki and Jerry Yang, The Cantor Arts Center, Stanford University, Palo Alto, USA
When Less is More, Alisan Fine Arts-Aberdeen, Hong Kong

2017

Art Taipei, Alisan Fine Arts, Taipei World Trade Centre, Taipei, Taiwan

2016

Alisan Fine Arts 35 Years, Hong Kong Central Library, Hong Kong
The 9^th International Ink Art Biennale of Shenzhen, Shenzhen Fine Art Institute, Shenzhen, China

2015-2016

Magic of Chinese Characters, Chinese Calligraphy in 3000 Years, Museum Rietberg, Zurich, Switzerland

2015

Tracing the Brush: Transformed Text, 1^st Ink Asia, Alisan Fine Arts, Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre, Hong Kong
Writing Non-writing, Art Museum of China Academy of Art, Hangzhou, China
A Tale of Two Cities, Hong Kong Arts Centre, Hong Kong
Echoes of One Hand Clapping: Picturing Sound in Asian Art, Princeton University Art Museum, Princeton, USA

2013

Noirs D’Encre. Regards Croisés, Foundation Baur Musée des Arts D’Extreme-Orient, Genéve, Switzerland
Ink Art: Past as Present in Contemporary China, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA

2011

Ink Art vs Ink Art, Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong

2010

Writing/Non-writing, Art Museum of China Academy of Art, Hangzhou, China
Ink Art VS Ink Art, Shanghai Art Museum, Shanghai, China

2009

Selected Hong Kong Artists, Alisan Fine Arts, Hong Kong
Calligraffiti, Pacific Asia Museum, Pasadena, USA

2008

Hong Kong Art: Open Dialogue - New Ink Art: Innovation and Beyond, curated by Alice King, Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong
Shenzhen Ink Biennial, Shenzhen Museum of Art, Shenzhen, China
Looking for Antonio Mak, Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong

2007

Made In China, Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Copenhagen, Denmark; Israel Museum, Jerusalem, Israel

2005

The Act of Writing and of Non-writing: The Open Space for Chinese Calligraphy, Art Museum of China Academy of Art, Hangzhou, China
The Painted Word: Language as Image in Modern Art, Lafayette College, Pennsylvania, USA

2002

Paris-Pekin, Espace Cardin, Paris, France
China, Museum Saap, Sao Paulo, Brazil

2001

The Rhythmic Line: Contemporary Calligraphy, Alisan Fine Arts, Hong Kong
Tradition and Experimentation: 2nd Chinese Calligraphy of the Millennium, Ho’s Gallery of Calligraphy Arts, Taipei; Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Art, Taiwan
China Without Borders, Sotheby’s, New York, USA

2000

New Perspective on Contemporary Calligraphy, Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts, Taichung, Taiwan

1999-2002

The Power of Words, Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts, Taichung, Taiwan

1999

Medium Transpositio, Kuo Mu Sheng Foundation Art Centre, Taiwan
Tracing 2000, Color Field Art Space, Taipei, Taiwan
Avant Gardes en Chine, Galerie LOFT, Paris, France

1998

Fans, Color Field Art Space, Taipei, Taiwan

1997

Stream Segment, Asian American Arts Centre, New York, USA

1996

Asia Pacific Heritage Month, Mass Transit Authority Headquarters, New York, USA

1995

Looking Through Lines, Dimension Endowment of Art, Taipei, Taiwan

1994

Flowering in the West, Haenah-Kent Gallery, New York, USA

1990

Chinesische Kalligraphie, Galerie Lommel, Germany

1985

Contemporary Primitive, ABC NO RIO, New York, USA
Asian Artists Show, A Gallery, New York, USA

1984

Gorilla Art Show, Avenue B Gallery, New York, USA
Small Works Exhibition, Washington Square East Galleries, New York University, New York, USA

1983

Self-Portrait, The Landmark, Hong Kong

1981

Chinese Center, Montreal, Canada

1979

Center for Chinese Art and Culture, Boston, USA

1977

City Hall, Hong Kong

SELECTED SPECIAL PROJECTS
2014 After Mi Fu Handscroll, Response to Mi Fu’s Boat on Wu River, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA
2008 Les Poèmes du Mandarin Tableware Collection, Hermès, France
2007 Mural: Inner Universe, Center for Contemporary Art, Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA
2004 Artist in Residence, Jesus College, Cambridge University, UK

SELECTED PUBLIC COLLECTIONS
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA
Brooklyn Museum, New York, USA
Asian Art Museum, San Francisco, USA
Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia, USA
Los Angeles County Museum of Arts, Los Angeles, USA
Chicago Art Institute, Chicago, USA
Harvard University Art Museum, Cambridge, MA, USA
Princeton University Art Gallery, Princeton, USA
Bowdoin College Museum of Art, Brunswick, USA
Chicago Art Institute, Chicago, IL, USA
Denver Art Museum, Denver, USA
World Bank, Washington D.C., USA
Akiko Yamazaki and Jerry Yang Collection, USA
Khoan & Michael Sullivan Collection, Ashmolean Museum, Oxford University, UK
The Olenska Foundation, Geneva, Switzerland
Israel Museum, Jerusalem, Israel
White Rabbit Gallery, Sydney, Australia
Taiwan Museum of Art, Taichung, Taiwan
Westin Hotel, Taipei, Taiwan
Ju Ming Foundation, Taiwan
Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong
Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
United Airlines, Hong Kong International Airport, Hong Kong
China Club, Hong Kong
Mobil Oil, Hong Kong
Shanghai Tang, Hong Kong & New York
Fundacao Oriente, Macau