Chrissy Cheung grew up in Toronto and became interested in art at seven. She studied at Concordia University, Montréal, completing her Bachelor of Fine Arts in 2000. In 1999, she interned with industrial designer Alejandro Ruiz in Milan, Italy.
In early 2005, she was an artist resident at the Banff Centre, resulting in a solo show, Improv Paintings, at the Other Gallery in Banff. In 2008, she was accepted into the Emerging Artists Viewing Program at the Drawing Center, New York.
Cheung’s work has been reviewed in Akimbo and Now Magazine and featured on CityTV, Calgary. She contributed to the Salon des Arts at the 2008 Osheaga Festival. Her solos exhibitions include Structured Abstractions, at the 2 of 2 Gallery, Toronto and Dessins contemporains, at Maison de la Culture Plateau Mont-Royal, Montréal. She currently lives in Vancouver. Her art is part of the Ville de Montréal Art Collection and private collections across Canada, California, England, Denmark, France, Venezuela, and China.
Artist Statement
Chrissy Cheung’s images compel the viewer to follow the lines and modes of connection through which she brings her works to vibrant life. Though abstract in form, her paintings and drawings employ figurative material in complex, nuanced, and detailed ways. Her works draw on imagery from the real, the imaginary, the subconscious, and more, and transform such material in powerfully allusive ways.
Vitally, Cheung’s work represents and embodies motion, both her own movement in their rendering and, subsequently and enticingly, that of the engaged viewer’s eyes. In this way, she captures the essence of temporal, physical artistic forms of contemporary dance and music, which are significant sources of inspiration.
Artwork
Formal Training/ Formations
2016 Photo Diploma, Collège Marsan, Montréal, Qc
2005 Artist Residency in Painting, Banff Centre, Banff, AB
1996- 2000 Bachelor of Fine Arts, Concordia University, Montréal, Qc
1999 Industrial Design Internship, Studio Ruiz, Milan, Italy
Solo Exhibitions/ Expositions personelles
2016 Dessins Contemporains, Plateau Mont-Royal Maison de la Culture, Montréal
2016 Stairway, Galerie LSB, Mile Ex, Montréal
2013 Intrigue, Galerie Eleanor London Côte St-Luc Public Library Gallery
2012 15 Days of Fame, Galerie au Mur, Dollard-des-Ormeaux, Qc
2011 Non-Séquentiel, O Patro Vys, Montréal, Qc
2010 Every Method:No Method, Artfirm Gallery, Calgary
2010 Structured Abstractions, 2 of 2 Gallery, Toronto
2008 Overland, 2 of 2 Gallery, Toronto
2008 New Relations, Artfirm Gallery, Calgary
2006 A Visual Language @ Artfirm Gallery, Calgary
2005 Improv Paintings, the Other Gallery, Banff Centre, Banff
2004 Top Side Down, Devonian Art Gallery, Calgary
Art Fairs/ foires
2019 Reveal International Contemporary Art Fair, Saratoga Springs, NY
2019 Market Art and Design Fair, Bridgehampton Museum, NY
Curatorial Projects
2021 Fight or Flight (virtual), Vancouver
Selected Group Exhibitions/ Expositions collectives
2021 Carry On, Centre A- Vancouver International Centre for Contemporary Asian Art
2017, 2019, 2020, 2021 Eastside Culture Crawl, Parker Studios, Vancouver, BC
2021 Interconnections in a New World, Capulet Art Gallery, Richmond, BC
2020 Anonymus Art Show, NorthVan Arts, North Vancouver, BC
2020 Pan-Asian Cultural Connections, Capulet Art Gallery, Richmond, BC
2019/20 Invisible, Galerie Cité, Edmonton, AB
2019 5th Parker Art Salon, 1000 Parker St, Vancouver, BC
2019 Battle of the Brush 36: G.O.A.T, Heritage Hall, Vancouver, BC
2019 Paint Battle, Harbour Centre, Vancouver
2018 Transcendence, Capulet Art Gallery, Richmond, BC
2018 Battle of the Brush 35: Superheroes, Heritage Hall, Vancouver
2018 Trou de ville/ wormhole, Belgo Building, Montreal, Qc
2018 Whisper, ModArt Gallery, Miami, FL
2018 Sliver II, Theatre Conspiracy, Vancouver, BC
2018 Sliver, Charles Clark Gallery, Vancouver, BC
2017, 2018, 2020 – Art Rental Show, North Van Arts, North Vancouver
2017 Art Party, Seymour Art Gallery, North Vancouver
2017 Saucy @ Red Gate Arts Society, Vancouver
2015 Art Auction Theatre Imago, in support of the Youth Aritista Program, Montréal
2014 The Sketchbook Project NE Tour, Brooklyn, NYC, Philadelphia, Portland, Toronto.
2013 Artcetera – Silent Auction, Elora Centre for the Arts, Elora, ON
2010 YES (Youth Employment Services) – Annual Benefit Fundraiser Artwork Gala, Toronto
2010 Hommage à la ville, OFF Interarts, Montréal – Curated by Clement Yeh
2010, 2008 – Summertide, Artfirm Gallery, Calgary
2008 Salon des Arts, Osheaga Music & Arts Festival, Parc Jean Drapeau, Montreal
2008 Balance (a collaboration with Craig Talbot), ArtsHab Studio Gallery, Edmonton
2008 Flip Side, Headquarters Galerie, Montreal
2007 A Seasonable Salon, Artfirm Gallery, Calgary
2007 Danse-moi ta note, La Loggia, Montréal
2007 Summertide, Artfirm Gallery, Calgary
2007 Online Silent Auction Fundraiser, Richmond Art Gallery, Richmond, BC
2007 Bias Consistent Variable, The Works Art and Design Festival, Edmonton
2007 Knock Your Socks Off!, Headquarters Galerie, Montreal
2007 Alignment, in conjunction with the Triangle Gallery of Visual Arts ”Walking on a Thin Line”, Artfirm Gallery, Calgary
2006 “It’s probably worth more than THAT..”, Headquarters Galerie, Montreal
2006 Surface Gestures, in collaboration with the Triangle Gallery of Visual Arts “Quebec Connection”, Artfirm Gallery
2006 Framework Foundation Calgary Timeraiser, Art Gallery of Calgary, AB
2005, 2004 –Annual Fine Arts Alumni Exhibition, VAV Gallery, Concordia University, Montréal
2004 New Alberta Abstractions, The Works Art and Design Festival, Edmonton
2003 Local Motion: Herland Film Festival (screening), Plaza Theatre, Calgary
Public and Corporate Collections
Ville de Montréal
Gyro Mazda, Toronto
Morguard Investments, Vancouver, BC
LiVante Developments, ON
Standard Products Ltd., St. Laurent, Qc
Support Surface, Montréal, Qc
Naada Yoga, Montréal, Qc
Public Work, Broadcasting
Artwork for BH90210, Fox television, Beverly Hills Productions, Los Angeles
Freebird Chicken Mural (defunct), Chinatown Vancouver
Calgary Tower, Landing 23
Grants / Bourses
2009 Canada Council for the Arts- Visual Arts Grant
Artist Talks
2020 – Capulet Art Gallery, Asian Heritage Month w/ explorAsian Festival
2019 – Talking Art Series, Eastside Culture Crawl
2018 – Guest lecturer, “Painting and Pigments” @ Port Moody Arts Association
2016 – Artist Talk, Galerie LSB, Montreal
2008 – Artist Talk, Artfirm Gallery, Calgary
Related Activities
2016-present – Curator for the PAINTER8 Arts Society
2016-present – IATSE 891 member- Paint, Art, Construction Department
2016-present – North Vancouver Community Arts Council, member
2019 – Team building using painting with Lifelabs @ Capulet Art Gallery
2016, 2017, 2019 Artwork featured on Artbombdaily.com
2016 – Member of RAAV
2008- Artist File available @ Artexte, Montréal
2008- Entry into the Emerging Artists Viewing Program, The Drawing Center, NYC
2003-2005 – IATSE 212 member
2002 – IN:Camera Herland Video Production Workshop, Emmedia, Calgary, AB
Publications, Interviews
2021
Alumni Updates, Concordia University Magazine, Summer 2021, p58.
Griwkowsky, Fish. “PAINTER8’s new virtual reality art show takes on stress and tension”, Edmonton Journal. Jun 10, 2021
Newton, Elizabeth. Creators Vancouver. Jan 3, 2021.
2020
Johnson, Gail. “Stir ’Splainer: 3 visual artists on works in the 2020 Eastside Culture Crawl“, Stir Vancouver, Nov 9, 2020.
Scott, Hannah. “Capulet Art Gallery hosts online exhibition”. Richmond Sentinel. May 13, 2020
Radio interview with Berndine Fox on CFRO Vancouver Coop Radio, 100.5 FM, “Both Sides Now- Unpacking Mental Health” Radio Program, Feb 11, 2020.
2019
Griwkowsky, Fish. “Three to See: PAINTER8, Edmonton Film Fest, and Emmet Michael” Edmonton Journal, Sept 26, 2019.
“Casual Chicken Spot Freebird re-launches in new Vancouver location.” Vancouver is Awesome. Sept. 19, 2019.
2017
Sewell, Gavin. & Cheung, Chrissy. ‘One of a Kind: The Experience of Painting’ essay, Eastside Culture Crawl Arts Festival.
Hennig, Kalyna. ‘A Home Grows With You.’ Avenue Edmonton. June 2017.
Archambault, Luc. ‘The importance of movement.” Westmount Magazine.
Archambault, Luc. “Chrissy Cheung et l’effervescence du geste.”
Class Acts, Concordia University Magazine, Spring 2016, p58.
2014
Class Acts, Concordia University Magazine, Winter 2013/14, p54-55.
2010
Class Acts, Concordia University Magazine, Winter 2010/11, p33.
“In the Galleries: Chrissy Cheung”, Calgary Herald-Swerve, November 26, sw 18.
Schechter, Fran. “Gallery Crawl: Streaming Light and Falling From Love“, NOW Toronto.
2008
Adams-Bacon, Sarah. “Calgary: Contemporary Czech Artists at Triangle Gallery, Lynda Gammon at Stride Gallery, Chrissy Cheung at Artfirm” Akimbo, June 2008.
“Eye on Alberta”, (image: List D), Alberta Views, June 2008, p20.
17-05-2008- Interview on the CityShow, CityTv Calgary.
Place Magazine: Art Review, (image: Constructs) published in Montreal.
2007
“What is Drawing For?” Tracey Contemporary Drawing Research. October 2007.
“Chrissy Cheung- Sunfire” Lighthouse Wire Magazine Vol. 5 2007: 3, 27.
2005
Artwork for Crouched Head CD “Crouched Head”, Drip Audio Label, Vancouver
“Chrissy Kwok-Ying Cheung.” TERMINUS1525.ca (a pilot project of the Department of Canadian Heritage in partnership with the Canada Council for the Arts) 2005 Vol. 1: 29.
2004
Mah, Andrew. “Portals to Imagination” Where, Calgary Edition November/December 2004: p40
2001
McEwan, Jennifer. “A Work of Art that Works” , Calgary Chapter of the Alberta Association on Gerontology, p12.
1999
“Spending the Summer in Milan” Concordia’s Thursday Report, Oct 7, 1999.
See Chrissy’s work on tv/film sets in imdb.com