Wong Hoy Cheong
Mary, Washerwoman
1996, Charcoal and silkscreen on paper, 125 x 91.5 cm
Born in Penang in 1960, Wong Hoy Cheong is a member of the first Post-Independence generation of Malaysian artists. He studied abroad, returning from the USA in 1987 with a BA in English Literature from Brandeis, an MA in Education from Harvard and an MA in Fine Arts from U Mass, Amherst.
Wong Hoy Cheong has taken a more objective approach to his role as an artist in Malaysia, making a broad sweep of the events and forces that have shaped the country. Working in a wide range of media, he has always sought to disturb our sense of security, reminding us of our past, re-inventing our history. His art has been called “mischievous” – it is at once seductive and ironic.
He has exhibited widely in Asia, Australia and Europe, as well as within Malaysia. Last year he was invited to take part in the 50th Venice Biennale, where his RE:LOOKING video and installation was met with critical acclaim. He has also participated in Liverpool Biennial 2004, ARS 01 (Kiasma Museum of Contemporary Art, Helsinki, 2001), Kwangju Biennale (2000), Cities on the Move (traveling exhibition curated by Hou Hanrou, 1999), Fukuoka Triennial (1999) and the AsiaPacific Triennial (1996)
International acclaim notwithstanding, he has been a vital part of the Malaysian arts community, as teacher, critic, curator, writer and artist. In 2004, a major retrospective of his work, spanning the last 20 years, was held at the National Art Gallery of Malaysia. He currently divides his time between Kuala Lumpur and his studio at Kuala Kubu Baru, Selangor.