Tongson Wesley

1957-2012, Hong Kong

Introduction

Wesley Tongson, a Hong Kong born ink painter, is best known for his vibrant splash landscape paintings. Diagnosed with schizophrenia at 15, he began formal painting studies in 1974 when he enrolled at the Hong Kong International School. In 1977, he moved to Toronto, where he combined formal Western painting studies at the Ontario College of Art with learning from renowned ink painter Madame Koo Tsin-yaw (1896-1978). This ignited his self-exploration of splash ink techniques pioneered by the modern Chinese master, Zhang Daqian. Returning to Hong Kong in 1981, Tongson continued his Chinese painting practice under the painter Harold Wong (1943-2022). In the late 1990s, Tongson fully immersed himself in the creation of splash ink and colour paintings, emphasizing the pure state of mind influenced by Zen meditations. In 2001, he began experimenting with "finger painting," and by 2009, he completely abandoned the paint brush by directly expressing his visions on paper with his fingers only. His artworks depict a serene, luminous, and pure natural world, transcending the boundaries of traditional landscapes.

Tongson 's major solo exhibitions include Berkeley Art Museum & Pacific Film Archive, Berkeley; Pacific Asia Museum, University of Southern California, Pasadena; Chinese Culture Center, San Francisco, USA; Godfrey Far Eastern Art, London, UK; University Museum and Art Gallery, University of Hong Kong; Hong Kong Arts Centre; Hong Kong American Club, and Art Gallery of Mandarin Oriental in Hong Kong. Art fairs that he has participated in include Art Basel Hong Kong, Fine Art Asia, and Ink Asia. Currently his works are on view at M+ as part of the group exhibition, titled Shanshui: Echoes and Signals, as well as at Asian Art Museum in San Francisco in the exhibition Into View: New Voices, New Stories.

His works are included in museum and private collections such as the Pacific Asia Museum of the University of Southern California, Pasadena; the Berkeley Art Museum & Pacific Film Archive, Berkeley, USA; M+, Hong Kong, Hong Kong Museum of Art, as well as the MK Lau Collection in Hong Kong.


BIOGRAPHY
1957   Born in Hong Kong
1972-1973   Diagnosed with schizophrenia at the age of 15
1974   Commenced to formally paint
1977   Moved to Toronto, Canada and studied Western painting at the Ontario College of Art, and Chinese brush painting with Madame Koo Tsin-yaw (1896-1978)
1981   Returned to Hong Kong, studied painting with Harold Wong (1943-2022) and Liu Kuo-Sung (1932-)
1985   Held his first solo exhibition at the Hong Kong City Hall, Hong Kong
2001   Started experimentation with finger painting
2009   Ceased using brushes and worked primarily with fingers and nails
2012   Passed away 
SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2022   

  • Spiritual Mountains: The Art of Wesley Tongson, Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive, Berkeley, USA

2020   

  • Mountain Taoist, University Museum and Art Gallery, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong

2018   

  • Wesley Tongson: The Journey, Chinese Culture Center of San Francisco, San Francisco, USA

2017   

  • Wesley's Heaven, D3E Art, Hong Kong

  • Breakthrough: by Wesley Tongson's Rules, Ink Asia, Hong Kong

2016   

  • The House of Ka-Wesley Tongson, Ink Asia, Hong Kong

  • Wesley Tongson: Solo Exhibition in Beijing, Pékin Fine Arts, Beijing, China

2014   

  • Ink Explorations: A Wesley Tongson Retrospective, Hong Kong Arts Centre, Hong Kong

1995   

  • Wesley Tongson: 10th Anniversary Exhibition, Hong Kong City Hall, Hong Kong

  • Godfrey Far Eastern Art, London, UK

  • Hong Kong American Club, Hong Kong

  • Mandarin Oriental Fine Arts, Hong Kong

1994   

  • The Vibrant Land, Artpreciation Gallery, Hong Kong

1993   

  • Mountains of Heaven: Modern Chinese Paintings by Tong Ka Wai, Pacific Asia Museum, University of Southern California, Pasadena, USA

1992   

  • Mountains of Heaven: Modern Chinese Paintings by Wesley Tongson, Hong Kong Arts Centre, Hong Kong

1991   

  • Dancing Colours: Paintings by Wesley Tongson, Hong Kong Arts Centre, Hong Kong

1990   

  • Solo Exhibition Sponsored by the Hong Kong Urban Council, Ngau Chi Wan Civic Centre, Hong Kong

1989   

  • The Exhibition of Wesley Tongson, Hanart TZ Gallery, Hong Kong

1988   

  • Hong Kong Arts Centre, Hong Kong

1986   

  • Galerie du Monde, Hong Kong

1985   

  • Hong Kong City Hall, Hong Kong 


SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2024-2025   

  • Shanshui: Echoes and Signals, M+, Hong Kong

2024   

2019   

  • Ink Asia, Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre, Hong Kong

  • Group Exhibition in the Chinese Gallery, Pacific Asia Museum, University of Southern California, Pasadena, USA

2017   

  • Lui Shou-Kwan & Wesley Tongson: Fine Art Asia, Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre, Hong Kong

2016   

  • Beyond: New Abstract Art from China, Living Octave Sangha Gallery, Suzhou, China

2015   

  • Hong Kong Arts Centre Fundraiser Preview, Hong Kong Arts Centre, Hong Kong

  • 2015 Asia Art Archive Fundraiser Preview, The Space, Hong Kong

1995   

  • Art Asia, Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre, Hong Kong

1994   

  • New Trends: Art Hong Kong, Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre, Hong Kong

1988   

  • Modern Chinese Paintings by Five Artists, Hong Kong City Hall, Hong Kong

1987   

  • Contemporary Hong Kong Art Biennial Exhibition, Hong Kong City Hall, Hong Kong


SELECTED AWARDS
2019   Visionary Artist Award, Chinese Culture Center of San Francisco, San Francisco, USA

SELECTED COLLECTIONS
Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive, Berkeley, USA
Asian Art Museum of San Francisco, San Francisco, USA
Pacific Asia Museum, University of Southern California, Pasadena, USA
M+, Hong Kong
Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong
University Museum and Art Gallery, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
Hong Kong Art School, Hong Kong
Morgan Stanley Asia Limited, Hong Kong
First Eastern Investment Group, Hong Kong and Shanghai, China
Four Seasons Hotel, Hong Kong
Conrad Hotel, Hong Kong and Tokyo, Japan