Isaac Chong Wai is a Berlin-Hong Kong artist. Chong was a participating artist in the 60th Venice Biennale, “Foreigners Everywhere,” curated by Adriano Pedrosa and in the 14th Taipei Biennial, “Whispers on the Horizon,” curated by Sam Bardaouil and Till Fellrath. He uses glass, drawing, photography, video and performance as mediators to investigate contemporary global phenomena. His practice transforms the emotions, tensions, and memories of human interactions into performative materiality and immersive forms. His work addresses queer identity politics, Asian diasporic histories, and systemic racism to imagine alternative microcosms of human relationality.
His works are featured in notable collections including Hamburger Bahnhof – Nationalgalerie der Gegenwart, Berlin; Kadist, Paris and San Francisco; Burger Collection and Sunpride Foundation, Hong Kong; White Rabbit Collection, Sydney.
His works have gained recognition at prominent venues, including the Biennale of Videobrasil, São Paulo; Neue Nationalgalerie, Berlin; Bundeskunsthalle Bonn; MMCA, Seoul; Haus der Kulturen der Welt, Berlin and Liste Art Fair Basel.
He received the New York Désirée & Hans Michael Jebsen Fellowship from the Asian Cultural Council and was a fellow of the Kulturakademie Tarabya. In 2024, he was selected as one of the TOP 100 most important cultural figures in Berlin by Tagesspiegel.
Portrait of Isaac Chong Wai at the Venice Biennale 2024. Photo by Rachel Jiam.
BIENNIALS (SELECTED)
60th Venice Biennale, “Foreigners Everywhere,” curated by Adriano Pedrosa, Venice
14th Taipei Biennial, “Whispers on the Horizon,” curated by Sam Bardaouil and Till Fellrath, Taipei
SOLO EXHIBITIONS (SELECTED)
”Isaac Chong Wai: carefully,” Blindspot Gallery, Hong Kong
”Isaac Chong Wai: Falling Carefully,” Zilberman Berlin
“Isaac Chong Wai: Breath by Breath,” Liste Art Fair Basel
“Isaac Chong Wai in dialogue with Joseph Beuys: The End of Growth,” Museum Schloss Moyland
“Post-Mythical Accidents,” Una Boccata d'Arte, Fondazione Elpis and Galleria Continua, Castiglione di Sicily
GROUP EXHIBITIONS (SELECTED)
“The Nationalgalerie: The Collection of the 21st Century” curated by Sam Bardaouil and Catherine Nichols, Hamburger Bahnhof–Nationalgalerie der Gegenwart Museum, Berlin
“PERFORM! 2025” curated by Klaus Biesenbach, with Lisa Botti, and Gregor Quack, Neue Nationalgalerie, Berlin
”Forgive Us Our Trespasses / Vergib uns unsere Schuld” curated by Paz Guevara and Cosmin Costinaș, Haus der Kulturen der Welt, Berlin
“Identity Not Proven,” New Acquisitions for the Federal Art Collection, curated by Susanne Klein, Bundeskunsthalle Bonn
”Myth Makers—Spectrosynthesis III,” curated by Inti Guerrero and Chantal Wong, Tai Kwun Contemporary Museum, Hong Kong
“Looking For Another Family” curated by Joowon Park, National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MMCA), Seoul
“M+ Live Art Audience As Performer” curated by Alice Teng, M+ Museum, Hong Kong
Moscow International Biennale for Young Art, “A Time for Dreams” curated by David Elliott, Museum of Moscow, Moscow
COLLECTIONS (SELECTED)
Hamburger Bahnhof – Nationalgalerie der Gegenwart, Berlin
Kadist, Paris and San Francisco
Bundeskunstsammlung (Federal Collection of Contemporary Art), Bonn
Burger Collection, Hong Kong
Sunpride Foundation, Hong Kong
White Rabbit Collection, Sydney
FULL CV