Born in Hong Kong in 1977, Kurt Tong left to UK when he was 13 years old. Currently he bases in Hong Kong. In his early career as a photographer, he was good at taking documentary and photojournalism. Gradually, he turns attention to his own family history. His work concentrates on individuals, like his grandfather, his parents and his nanny. Combing for Ice and Jade won Punctum Award in Lianzhou Foto in 2017 and Photo Folio Award in Les Rencontres d’Arles in 2018.

Chronology

2006-07 MA Photojournalism, London College of Communication
1997-01 BN (Hons) Bachelor of Nursing & (RHV) Health Visitor, Uni. of Liverpool

Selected Solo Exhibitions

2024 - Gruss vom Krampus, Inn Situ, Innsbruck, Austria
2023 - Dear Franklin, UP Gallery, Hsinchu, Taiwan
2023 - Dear Franklin, JC Contemporary, Tai Kwun Centre for Heritage and Arts, Hong Kong
2021 - In Case it Rains in Heaven, Departure Lounge, Luton, UK
2020 - Combing for Ice and Jade, Esplanade, Singapore
2020 - Combing for Ice and Jade, Paper Lab at Mai Manó House, Budapest, Hungary
2019 - In the Dark of the Night, Dai Bing, Hong Kong
2019 - Combing for Ice and Jade, Les Rencontres d’Arles, Arles, France
2018 - The Queen, The Chairman and I, Rugby Art Gallery and Museum, Rugby, UK
2018 - The Queen, The Chairman and I, Lianzhou Photography Museum, Lianzhou China
2018 - Combing for Ice and Jade, Zhongshan Art Museum, Zhongshan, China
2018 - In Case it Rains in Heaven, Gallery 1402, Philadelphia, USA
2017 - Combing for Ice and Jade, Shoe Factory, Lianzhou Foto Festival, Lianzhou, China
2017 - Combing for Ice and Jade, Himalayas Art Museum, Shanghai, China
2017 - The Queen, The Chairman and I, Ffotogallery, Cardiff, UK
2017 - The Queen, The Chairman and I, Regional Cultural Centre, LetterKenny, Ireland
2016 - The Queen, The Chairman and I, Impressions Gallery, Bradford, UK
2016 - Threads of Sisterhood, Lumevisum, Hong Kong
2015 - Pondering Tree, Zhongshan, China
2014 - Echoed Visions, Identity Art Gallery, Hong Kong
2013 - The Queen, The Chairman and I, Galleri Image, Aarhus, Denmark
2013 - The Queen, The Chairman and I, Victoria Gallery and Museum, Liverpool, UK
2013 - The Queen, The Chairman and I, Pulse, NYC, USA
2013 - In Case it Rains in Heaven, Lange Nacht der Museen, Bestattungshaus Haller, Stuttgart, Germany
2012 - The Queen, The Chairman and I, The Horse Hospital, London, UK
2012 - In Case it Rains in Heaven, Jen Bekman Gallery, New York City, USA
2011 - The Queen, The Chairman and I, Identity Art Gallery, Hong Kong
2011 - In Case it Rains in Heaven, Kemistry Gallery, London, UK
2011 - In Case it Rains in Heaven, Street Level, Glasgow, UK
2010 - In Case it Rains in Heaven, Compton Verney, Warwickshire, UK
2010 - In Case it Rains in Heaven, Voirie, Biel, Switzerland. (Bieler Fotoage)
2010 - Memories, Dreams; Interrupted / In Case it Rains in Heaven, Photofusion, London, UK
2010 - People’s Park/Farewell in Labrador, Lighthouse, Wolverhampton, UK

Selected Group Exhibitions

2022 - In Translation - The Contexts of Nature, Park View Gallery, Shenzhen, China
2022 - Sovereign Asian Art Prize Exhibition, Art Central, Hong Kong
2021 - South by Southern, Jimei X Arles 2021 International Photo Festival
2021 - Art Taipei, Taiwan
2020 - China Imagine, the Grote Kerk, Breda, Netherland
2020 - Moments, Up Gallery, Hsinchu, Taiwan
2020 - Summer Salon, Print Sales Gallery, The Photographers' Gallery, London, UK
2019 - Dimensions of Family, Times Art Museum, Beijing, China
2019 - Photo Fair, Shanghai Exhibition Centre, Shanghai, China
2019 - Mt Rokko International Photo Festival, Sorakuen Garden Kobe, Japan
2019 - Kaleidoscope, Somerset House, London, UK
2019 - Let Us Return Home, UP Gallery, Hsinchu, Taiwan (2 person show)
2019 - The Abode of Anemnesis, OCAT Institute, Beijing, China
2019 - Potentiality, Finnish Musuem of Photography, Helsinki, Finland
2018 - The Survey Show, Cattle Depot, Hong Kong
2018 - Sweet Water Bitter Earth, Picture Gallery, Bloomington, IN, USA (2 person show)
2017 - Sony World Photography Award exhibition, Somerset House, London, UK
2017 - Mobility, Wyng Masters Award exhibition, Comix Home Base, Hong Kong
2017 - As Entertaining as Possible, Testbed 2, Chongqing, China
2016 - In Case it Rains in Heaven, The Granary, Lianzhou Foto Festival, China
2016 - Retrieved, Chinese Culture Centre and SF Camerawork, San Francisco, USA
2015 - Unseen Art Fair, The Photographers’ Gallery, Amsterdam, Holland
2014 - Asia Express, Brugge Foto, Brugge, Belgium
2014 - Earth To Heaven, Medicine Wheel Productions, Boston, USA
2014 - Chine Today, L’Atelier Cinq, Arles, France
2014 - Wyng Masters Award exhibition, Innovation Gallery, Hong Kong
2013 - The Foyer, Seoul, Korea
2013 - Flash Forward Festival, Boston, USA
2013 - Review, Identity Gallery, Hong Kong
2013 - There is a Time, The Photocrafters, Hong Kong
2013 - China Stories, Museum of Modern Art, Tbilisi, Georgia
2013 - Jen Bekman Gallery 10th Anniversary Show, New York City, USA
2012 - Flash Forward 2012, Regent Park Arts and Cultural Center, Toronto, Canada
2012 - Pimp the Timp, Vol II, Cologne, Germany.
2012 - DIY: Photographers & Books, The Cleveland Museum of Art, USA
2012 - Terra Cognita, Noorderlicht Festival, Museum Dr8888, The Netherlands
2012 - Anniversary Show, Identity Gallery, Hong Kong
2012 - Art Asia, Art Melbourne 2012, Melbourne, Australia
2012 - New Artists, The Photographers’ Gallery, London, UK
2012 - Festival Circulation(s), Gallery Côté Seine & Trianon, Paris, France
2012 - Open Salon, China House, Penang, Malaysia
2011 - Encontros Da Imagen, Braga, Portugal
2011 - Open Salon, Galerie Huit, Arles, France
2011 - For You, Uno Art Space, Stuttgart, Germany (2 person show)
2011 - Flash Forward Festival, Flash Forward Group Show, Boston, USA
2011 - Wish you were here, The Little Black Gallery, London, UK
2011 - Print Sales, The Photographers’ Gallery, P3 Ambika, London, UK
2011 - 22 Steps to the Sea, Format Festival, Derby, UK
2011 - Photography and the Landscape, George and Jorgen, London, UK
2010 - A Transient Life, Blindspot Gallery, Hong Kong
2010 - Pieces of a Song, Host Gallery, London, UK
2010 - 2nd Singapore International Photography Festival, Lim Hak Tai Gallery and 2902 Gallery, Singapore
2010 - Simulated Alternate Realities, 1A Space, Hong Kong
2010 - Flash Forward 2010 exhibition, Flash Forward Festival, Toronto, Canada
2010 - Format Festival Preview, The Front Room Gallery, London, UK
2010 - Chroniques Hongkongaises, Diorama Rue Raspail, Arles, France
2009 - Christmas Show, Little Black Gallery, Chelsea, London
2009 - Fotofest Int. Discoveries II, Vine Street Studio, Houston, USA
2009 - Hey! Hot Shot showcase, Jen Bekman Gallery, New York, USA
2009 - Summer Exhibition, Crane Kalman Gallery, Brighton
2009 - Summer Show, Host Gallery, London
2009 - Summer Exhibition, Royal Academy, London
2009 - 152nd International Print Exhibition, Allen & Overy, London
2009 - Jerwood Show, Aberystwyth Arts Centre, Aberystwyth, Wales
2009 - Jerwood Show, Impressions Gallery, Bradford
2008 - Jerwood Photography Awards Winners Exhibition 2008
2008 - Jerwood Space, London
2008 - AOP Best of the Awards Show, AOP Gallery, London
2008 - Summer Show, Host Gallery, London
2008 - The Butterfly Effect, 23rd Biannual ALNAP Meeting, Madrid, Spain
2007 - Photo Meeting, Abbaye de Neumunster, Luxembourg
2007 - Retrospective Exhibition, French Institute, Edinburgh
2006 - Chinese Photographers’ Association, Chengdu, China
2006 - Ian Parry Scholarship Show, Getty Images Gallery, London
2005 - Luis Valtuena Int. Humanitarian Photography Award touring exhibition, Including La Casa Encendida, Madrid, The Frontline Club, London,
2005 - Hope for Homes, Hoopers Gallery, London
2004 - Ian Parry Scholarship, Tom Blau Gallery, London

Awards

2021 - Prix Elysée, Winner
2019 - The Reference Asia Photo Prize, Winner
2018 - Photo Folio Award, Les Rencontres d’Arles, Winner
2017 - Punctum Award, Lianzhou Foto, China, Winner
2017 - World Photography Award, Landscape Category, 2nd Place
2017 - Wyng Masters Award, Winner
2012 - European Publishers’ Award, Finalist.
2012 - Magenta Foundation, Flash Forward, Selected UK Winner
2011 - Magenta Foundation, Flash Forward, Selected UK Winner
2010 - Hey Hot Shot Ne Plus Ultras
2010 - Troika/Format Exposure Award, Winner
2010 - Magenta Foundation, Flash Forward, Selected UK Winner
2009 - Photography.Book.Now Editorial Category Winner & 2nd runner-up
2009 - Hey Hot Shot, 2009 1st Edition, Winner
2008 - The Jerwood Photography Awards, Winner
2008 - Lens Culture/Rhubarb Photo book Award, Winner
2007 - Deutsche Bank Pyramid Award, Finalist
2005 - 8th Luis Valtuena Int. Humanitarian Photography Award, Winner

Collections

Compton Verney Museum Chinese Collection,UK, on permanent display / Victoria Gallery and Museum, Liverpool, UK / Cleveland Museum of Art, USA / City of Biel, Switzerland / St Bart’s Primary Care Trust, UK / Zhongshan Art Museum, China / Les Rencontres d’Arles, Arles, France

Books from Kurt TONG