Luke Ching Chin Wai

Luke Ching Chin Wai
程展緯
Born1972 (age 53–54)
Hong Kong
EducationChinese University of Hong Kong (BFA, MFA}

Luke Ching Chin Wai (程展緯; born 1972) is a conceptual artist and labour activist from Hong Kong. His artistic practice twists the roles of artist and observer and mixes humour with cultural and political collisions in Hong Kong. He studied at the Chinese University of Hong Kong and graduated with an MA in Fine Art in 1998.

Artistic practice

Ching's works range from photography to sculpture to video, often social intervention made as a spontaneous response to his surroundings. His artistic practices are based upon his belief in agency and social responsibility of artists.

Glitch in the Matrix exhibition at Para Site in 2021

Since 2007 in his ongoing project undercover worker, he has worked in low-paid jobs in Hong Kong to experience first-hand their working environments and conditions. He uses these projects to visualize hidden problems within Hong Kong, connect different situations and lead campaigns to improve working conditions of low-paid workers. Some of these campaigns have been successful, such as providing chairs for security guards and cashiers, providing a new design for public rubbish bins to make cleaners' jobs easier, and urging the city’s Labour Department to improve health & safety standards related to prolonged standing. His work has launched collaborative activities to encourage employers make positive changes and raise awareness of workers' welfare.

He also uses pinhole photography, installations and video works to document the rapid changes to Hong Kong and other cities. In 2017 he turned a hotel room at the Titanic Hotel in Liverpool into a pinhole camera for the Look Liverpool International Photography Festival.

His works Pokfulam Village: View (Positive) (1999), Screensaver (2014), 1823: Complex Pile (2014), and Pixel (2014) are collected by M+.

Art residencies

Awards

References

  1. ↑ "Luke CHING". EXIT 安全口. Retrieved 2026-10-29.
  2. ↑ "A Conversation with Luke Ching". Asian Cultural Council. July 8, 2024. Retrieved 2026-10-29.
  3. ↑ "Look/17: Luke Ching". Liverpool International Photography Festival. 4 March 2017. Retrieved 2020-02-24.
  4. 1 2 3 Leung, Suzannie (2019). "Socially Engaged Arts: Luke Ching's Practices for Hong Kong". The International Journal of Social, Political and Community Agendas in the Arts. 14 (4): 25–35. doi:10.18848/2326-9960/CGP/v14i04/25-35. ISSN 2326-9960.
  5. 1 2 May, Tiffany (2025-02-21). "The Hong Kong Artist Who Got Fired From McDonald's". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2026-10-29.
  6. ↑ Liu, Hong Yu (2026-05-04). "Can an individual worker make institutional changes in the workplace? Luke Ching's narrative on reworking the workplaces in Hong Kong". Labor History. 67 (3): 361–374. doi:10.1080/0023656X.2025.2529981. ISSN 0023-656X.
  7. ↑ Lin, Edith (2025-02-08). "Hong Kong 'blue-collar' artist Luke Ching calls for 'new employment relationship'". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 2026-10-29.
  8. ↑ Taylor, Anna (2017). "Interview: Luke Ching, Culture Shifts: Global". Open Eye Gallery. Retrieved 2026-10-29.
  9. ↑ Ugelvig, Jeppe (2019-11-07). "Luke Ching Chin Wai | South Ho Siu Nam Blindingspot / Hong Kong". Flash Art. Retrieved 2026-10-29.
  10. ↑ Chow, Vivienne (2019-09-26). "Two Hong Kong Artists Reflect on the City's History of Protest as the Unrest Approaches Its Fourth Month". Artnet News. Retrieved 2026-10-29.
  11. ↑ Goodbody, Pete (2017-02-12). "'Playing With Time': Artist Luke Ching Makes Giant Pinhole Camera For LOOK/17". The Double Negative. Retrieved 2026-10-30.
  12. ↑ "Luke Ching Chin Wai". M+. Retrieved 2023-02-20.
  13. ↑ "Archive". plAAy: Contemporary Asian Art in Blackburn with Darwen. Blackburn Museum & Art Gallery. Retrieved 2020-02-23.
  14. ↑ "Breathe Residency (People's Residency): Luke Ching, 16 July - 16 September 2012". Centre for Chinese Contemporary Art. Retrieved 2020-02-24.
  15. ↑ "Luke Ching Chin Wai". Helsinki International Artist Programme. Retrieved 2020-02-24.
  16. ↑ "Hong Kong Art Biennial 2005 results announced". Hong Kong Arts Development Council. August 29, 2005. Retrieved 2020-02-24.
  17. ↑ "HKADA Archive 2016". Hong Kong Arts Development Council 香港藝術發展局. Retrieved 2026-10-30.