The Art Pledge
Portrait of Heman Chong

Photo: Toni Cuhadi STPI (c) 2017. Courtesy Amanda Wilkinson Gallery and the artist.

Heman Chong

Born in
1977
From
Muar, Malaysia
Lives and works
Singapore, Singapore
Represented by
Amanda Wilkinson Gallery

UN goals

Tags

“A lot of my exhibitions deal with how ideas transform from one thing to another. I’m primarily interested in how these transmissions were talked about, how we relate with each other and in the largest of things, the possibility of community that surrounds itself”

Biography

Putting the act of reading and books center-stage, artist Heman Chong explores language’s capacity to transform ethereal ideas into concreteness. Highly aware of the importance of transmission in our hyper-connected world, the artist creates performances, images, writings and situations reflecting the mechanism of the human psyche.  


Repetition is not uncommon in his artistic practice and by implementing it, he heightens the dullness and banality of symbols of power such as embassy doors. Thus reiteration links him with conceptual artists, especially to On Kawara who explored the inherently triteness of our existence by sending postcards with the sole purpose of recording time’s passage.


Chong’s work also studies modern surveillance and restrictive political systems around the world which parallels him with science fiction writer George Orwell. But despite the artist’s interest in surveillance and abuse of power, he creates alternative narratives where utopic realities are plausible. By creating artworks and exhibitions that are deliberately open, he gives agency to his viewers and invites them to question institutionalized discourses and counterbalance power.



Career highlights

Solo shows

Group shows

Collections

  • Paris, France; San Francisco, USA: KADIST
  • 2015, Hong Kong: M+

Media

Selected artworks

Related artists