Paul Wong (artist)

Paul Wong
Born (1954-11-20) November 20, 1954
Prince Rupert, British Columbia, Canada
Nationality Canadian
Known for Video art, Multimedia
Awards Bell Canada Award, Transforming Art Award, Trailblazer Expressions Award, Governor Generals Award in Visual and Media Arts, Best Canadian Film at the 2008 Reel Asian International Film Festival

Paul Wong, (born November 20, 1954 in Prince Rupert, British Columbia) is a Canadian multimedia artist. An award-winning artist, curator, and organizer of public interventions since the mid-1970s, Wong is known for his engagement with issues of race, sex, and death. His work varies from conceptual performances to narratives, meshing video, photography, installation, and performance with Chinese-Canadian cultural perspectives.

Wong is a founding member of several artists groups including the Video In / VIVO Media Arts Centre (Satellite Video Exchange Society 1973), and is a co-founding member of On The Cutting Edge Productions Society, which produced projects nationally and internationally from 1985 to 2007. These are archived at www.onedge.tv. On Edge was rebranded to On Main Gallery in 2007 www.onmaingallery.com. As Artistic Director/Curator, Wong shifted the focus back to Vancouver.

Curatorial work

He was the lead artist and curator of the "5" series, a major media art spectacle commissioned by the City of Vancouver for the 2010 Winter Olympics. These five site-specific events took place between February 13 to March 13, 2010, showcasing works from both Wong and selected guest artists. Produced by On Main Gallery, the event was part of Mapping and Marking Artist-Initiated Projects for Vancouver 2010.[1]

In 2011, he curated 10 Seconds, another City of Vancouver Public Art Project that saw the commissioning of 10 artists creating new works for the Canada Line SkyTrain video screens in Vancouver.[2]

In 2013, Wong created the #OMGSMAZ" social media art zones for the 2013 Main Street Car Free Day and the Kitsilano Music Festival,[3] and "Year of GIF" for the City of Surrey's Surrey UrbanScreen.[4]

In 2014, Wong created "#LLL, Looking Listening Looping", and was the curator and artistic director of Thru the Trapdoor, an interdisciplinary art exhibition and event that took place from April 22 to 26, 2014. The event featured over 50 artists and curators.[5]

Wong, along with the other members of the Mainstreeters, is featured in Mainstreeters: Taking Advantage 1972-1982. Curated by Allison Collins and Michael Turner, and produced by grunt gallery, the exhibition surveys the history of a gang of Vancouver artists who lived and worked together.

Collections

Wong's works are in public collections including the National Gallery of Canada,[6] the Museum of Modern Art, New York,[7] the Canada Council Art Bank (Ottawa) and the Vancouver Art Gallery.[8]

Awards

Wong was awarded the Bell Canada Award in Video Art in 1992. He was also the first recipient of the Transforming Art Award from the Asian Heritage Foundation in 2002. In 2003 he was the inaugural winner of the Trailblazer Expressions Award, created by Heritage Canada, the National Film Board of Canada and CHUM limited.

In 2005, Wong was a recipient of a Governor General's Awards in Visual and Media Arts.[9] Wong was the Canadian Spotlight Artist and also awarded Best Canadian Film or Video at the 2008 Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival.

In 2016 Wong was the recipient of the Audain Prize for Lifetime Achievement in the Visual Arts.[10][11][12][13]

Other media

Wong plays the "Wiry Man" in Season 3, Episode 19 of The X-Files, Hell Money (originally aired 29 March 1996).

References

  1. Chong, Kevin. "On with the show What exactly is the point of the Cultural Olympiad?". CBC. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 28 May 2016.
  2. "LCD Screens: 10 Seconds". The Canada Line/Transit BC. Retrieved 28 May 2016.
  3. Kitsilano Music Festival http://www.khatsahlano.com/. Retrieved 28 May 2016. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  4. http://www.surrey.ca/culture-recreation/7315.aspx
  5. Griffin, Kevin. "Thru The Trapdoor: Paul Wong's journey through art". The Vancouver Sun. Retrieved 28 May 2016.
  6. "Collections: Paul Wong". National Gallery of Canada. Retrieved 17 February 2015.
  7. "The Collection: Paul Wong". MoMA. Retrieved 17 February 2015.
  8. "Exhibition of Paul Wong's work presents compelling views on sex, life and death" (PDF). Vancouver Art Gallery. 2 July 2002. Retrieved 17 February 2015.
  9. "Paul Wong – Bio". Canada Council for the Arts. Retrieved 17 February 2015.
  10. "Paul Wong wins Audain Prize for Lifetime Achievement in the Visual Arts". The Georgia Straight. Retrieved 28 May 2016.
  11. "B.C. artist Paul Wong awarded 2016 Audain Prize". The Vancouver Sun. Retrieved 28 May 2016.
  12. Griffin, Kevin. "B.C. artist Paul Wong awarded 2016 Audain Prize". The Province. Retrieved 28 May 2016.
  13. Sandals, Leah. "Prestigious Awards Shine Light on Vancouver Artists". Canadian Art. Retrieved 28 May 2016.
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