VISUAL ARTIST
Manling Cheung
Born in 1972, ManLing Cheung has ancestral roots in Tong’an, Fujian. His family lived as scholars in Singapore’s overseas Chinese community for generations. Inspired by his grandfather’s love for photography, poetry, and painting, Cheung developed a deep passion for the arts and foreign cultures from an early age.
After completing his education in Hong Kong, he moved to the U.S. in the early 1990s to study abstract expressionism. Later, he became a calligraphy student of the renowned painter Wong Pui-kong. Today, he actively engages in both art education and creative work.
His artistic style is shaped by abstract expressionism, existentialist sculptor Alberto Giacometti, and Dada master Marcel Duchamp. Over time, his disciplined practice of Chinese calligraphy helped him refine his technique, leading to his personal approach—"stream of consciousness" painting—which allows him to break free from tradition and rediscover artistic purity.
Beyond his own creations, Cheung is committed to nurturing new talent. He has taught at various tertiary institutions in Hong Kong, inspiring students and contributing to the growth of contemporary art.
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Man-Ling Cheung’s works convey eternal elements and evoke people’s thinking about the origin of life, human existence and sexual relations. The eight works exhibited this time were created in the form of Burning Ink. He first created the feeling of burning and turning into ashes with ink, reclaimed rice paper discarded by different ink painters, and re-composed a sense of history of discarded fragments. Then he painted with ink, tea and other natural pigments to explore beliefs, The relationship between superstition, survival and nature.
Education
• Master of Fine Arts in Visual Art
Norwich University, US (1998-2000)
• Bachelor of Fine Arts in Painting (Summa Cum Laude)
Paier College of Art, US (1994-1997)
Professional Experience
Lecturer, Department of Fashion & Textiles
Hong Kong Design Institute (Oct 2003 - Present)
First Institute of Art & Design, HK (July 2000 - Present))
Exhibitions
• 2024
o Hong Kong Vietnam, Art Confluence Exhibition, Vietnam National Fine Art Museum
o 50 CM Gallery, A Taste of Hong Kong Cut-Up Room Living, Cattle Village
o The 2nd International Culture, Tourism and Intangible Cultural Heritage Exhibition, HK AsiaWorld-Expo
o Ngau Ting Dzoey, Chinese Ink and Graffiti Community Project, Cattle Village
o Chagall & Art Value, ArtBox Gallery
• 2023
o Memory of Touch, HK Central Library
o Shape and Consciousness, Visual Art Centre, HK
• 2022
o When Three Becomes One, #Crosss Exhibition PMQ
o Future of Interaction, Art Museum of Luo Hu, China
o Sanyu and the Stream of Consciousness Exhibition, ArtBox Gallery
o Unlock, Jao Tsung-I Academy
o Art Festival-A Continued Tradition, HK City Hall
• 2021
o Read My Mind, Exhibition Gallery, HK Culture Art Centre, TST
o Eastern Ink Writing: Past, Present, Future, HK City Hall High Block
o Travels History Through Art, Visual Art Centre, HK
• 2019
o Traceability and Convergence, TT Gallery, Mission Hills Golf Avenue, Shenzhen
o Peace Reigns Over the Land, Cattle Depot Artists Village
• 2018
o HK, The Cattle Depot Artist Village, Laboratory 4
• 2017
o One’s Origin, Group Show, The Jao Tsung-I Academy, HK
• 2016
o Amnesia, Barbarian Exhibition, The Hong Kong Visual Arts Centre, HK
• 2015
o Egocentrism, Barbarian Exhibition, The Hong Kong Visual Arts Centre, HK
• 2013
o Barbarian Exhibition, The Hong Kong Visual Arts Centre, HK
o Group Show, Galerie Klee/Yushihouse, HK
• 2003
o Third China National Exhibition of Oil Painting, Beijing, China
• 2001-2002
o HK Biennial Exhibition 2001, HK Museum of Art
o UNFOLDINGOBJECT, Solo Show, Fringe Club, HK
o HK Art Month, Art Scene China Gallery, HK
o Invited Artist, Show in the Fukien Middle School, HK
o Len Jong Series, Solo Show, First Institute of Art & Design, HK
• 2000
o Hermen Goode Gallery, Brooklyn, New York
o Connecticut Artists’ Show, Slater Museum, US
o Saltbox & Clubhouse Galleries, CT, US
o Thesis Exhibition, Wood Gallery, Norwich University, US
• 1999
o Solo Show, Arts & Humanities Association, New Haven, US
o Connecticut Artists’ Show, Slater Museum, US
o West Hartford Art League, US
• 1994-1998
o Solo Show, Arts & Humanities Association, New Haven, US
o Connecticut Mental Health Center, Yale University, US
o West Hartford League, Saltbox & Clubhouse Galleries, CT, US
o New Haven Painting Clay Club, US
o Community Renewal Team of Greater Hartford, National Arts Program, US
o Small Paintings Show, Erector Square Gallery, New Haven, US
o Paier College of Art, US
o Koenig Art Center, CT, US
Awards
• 2000
o Helen Hazelton Award of Print, Clubhouse Gallery
• 1998-1999
o Scholarship, Vermont College
• 1997
o The Highest Achievement in Fine Art (Scholarship), Paier College of Art, US
o The Outstanding Student in Fine Art, Paier College of Art, US
• 1996
o Richard Adams Rathbone Prize, New Haven Paint Clay Club
• 1995
o N.A.P Award-Scholarship, National Arts Program, US
o Winner and Dean’s List, Paier College of Art, US