Yuk King Tan explores the intersection between culture, work, place, and economics. Her practice has long explored status, control, and power through objects and installations. Designer goods have sat next to fake money as well as toy guns, tanks and other symbols of wealth and power. She’s made use of the analogy of the marketplace, presenting items laid out on tables that invite browsing and thoughtful reflection. Tan subverts tradition and materials to become another kind of values trader, assigning interest and significance to objects and situations in a way that suggests a realignment of ideas.
Currently based in Hong Kong, Yuk King Tan has had major solo and group exhibitions, most importantly at the Camden Art Centre in London, Ludwig Forum fur Internationale Kunst in Aachen, Museum Fredericianum in Kassel, Kunstverein in Hamburg, Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles and Wellington City Gallery, New Zealand, Hong Kong Arts Centre, and Artists Space in New York. She has held residencies in Dunedin, New Plymouth, Queensland, Aachen, Sydney and London snd has participated in international biennales/triennials in Queensland, Vilnius, Auckland and Sao Paulo.
Yuk King Tan graduated in 1993 with a Bachelor Fine Arts from Elam School of Fine Arts, Auckland University, New Zealand.
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2019
Crisis of The Ordinary, Starkwhite, Auckland, NZ
2012
The Limit of Visibility, 2P Contemporary Art Gallery, Hong Kong, HK
2011
To Hold Sway, Jonathan Smart Gallery, Christchurch, NZ
2010
Bonjour (duo show), Monsieur Courbet Jungmiso Gallery, Seoul, SK
2009
Scavenger, Sue Crockford Gallery, Auckland, NZ
2008
Negotiations, Cat Street Gallery, Hong Kong, HK
New Work Yuk King Tan and Hiram To, Jonathan Smart Gallery, Christchurch, NZ
2007
Yuk King Tan, Sue Crockford Gallery, Auckland, NZ
2006
Shelter, Gallery Quyn, Ho Chi Minh, VN
Loudspeaker, Te Tuhi The Mark, Auckland, NZ
2005
Overflow, City Gallery, Wellington, NZ
2004
Disorderorder, Sue Crockford Gallery, Auckland, NZ
Flowers of the Revolution, Jonathan Smart Gallery, Christchurch, NZ
2003
Probable Worlds, Sue Crockford Gallery, Auckland, NZ
2001
Luft-Raum Kunstlerhaus, Schloss Wiepersdorf, DE
Aeroscape, Hamish McKay Gallery, Wellington, NZ
High, Sue Crockford Gallery, Auckland, NZ
2000
The Territorials, Camden Arts Centre, London, UK
Passerby, Artspace, Auckland, NZ
W.A.D.A.M., Artspace, Sydney, AU
1999
instant!, Ludwig Forum Museum fur Internationalist Style Kunst, Aachen, DE
badsituationsim Mehrwertt Vitrine, Aachen, DE
1997
The Picturesque, Govett Brewster Art Gallery, New Plymouth, NZ
Sleepeasy, Dunedin Public Art Gallery, NZ
1996
bodyblow, Jonathan Smart Gallery, Christchurch, NZ
Escape Velocity, Sue Crockford Gallery, Auckland, NZ
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2022
Play and Loop IV
Blindspot Gallery, Wong Chuk Hang, Hong Kong
31 Women Artists: Hong Kong
10 Chancery Lane, Central, Hong Kong
Recollections May Vary, Starkwhite, Queenstown, NZ
Dreaming, after all, is a form of planning, 1301PE, Los Angeles, US
2020
Sampler 2020, Starkwhite, Auckland, NZ
2019-20
Ruth Buchanan: The Scene In Which I Find Myself. Or, Where Does My Body Belong, Govett-Brewster Art Gallery, New Plymouth, NZ
2019
52 Artists 52 Actions, Artspace, Sydney, AU
2017
(An)other-Half: Being a Wife/Mother and the Practices of the Self
Osage Gallery, Hong Kong, Kwun Tong, Hong Kong
2014
Signals, Starkwhite, Auckland, NZ
2012
What should I do to live in your life, Sharjah Art Foundation, Sharjah, AE
Obstinate, Object City Gallery, Wellington, NZ
Measuring the City with the Body, The Physics Room, Christchurch, NZ
Fax St, Paul Street Gallery, Auckland University of Technology, Auckland, NZ
2011
Negotiating the City, St Paul Street Gallery, Auckland University of Technology, Auckland, NZ
Recent Collections, Victoria University, Wellington, NZ
Artwalk, Hong Kong, HK
2010
Okin OPEN SITE, Okin Apartment, Seoul, SK
Conjunctures within Breach, Nam June Paik Art Center, Seoul, SK
2009
3rd Fotofestival Mannheim Ludwigshafen, Heidelberg, Mannheim, Ludwigshaben, DE
Not Yesterday, Not Tomorrow, Screening Kaapelin Galleria, Cable Factory, Helsinki, FI
Negotiatiating Space, Gallery 182, Seoul, SK
The Untimely Meditations, Okin Collective 175 Gallery, Seoul, SK
2008
Your place is my place, Kunstverein in Hamburg, DE
News from the Island, Cambelltown Arts Centre, Sydney, AU
Reversing Horizons, Shanghai Museum of Contemporary Art
Turbulence – 3rd Auckland Triennial, Auckland Art Gallery, NZ
Womens Work, Osage Gallery, Hong Kong, HK
*bok, oneaspace, Hong Kong, HK
Altered Ambience, 1aspace, Hong Kong, HK
The Inbetween, Sculpture commission, City University of Hong Kong, HK
Where the Lions Are, Co-curated by Para-Site Art Space and Francios Piron, Hong Kong, HK
2006
Local Transit, Artists Space, New York, US
Asia Traffic, Hong Kong Visual Arts Centre, HK
China Works, Art in General, New York, US
Pearl River, Delta Kunstverein Wiesbaden, Wiesbaden, DE
2005
Group Show, Sue Crockford Gallery, Auckland, NZ
Guangzhou Triennial, Videotage Selection, Guangzhou, CN
2004
Remember New Zealand, 26 Bienial de Sao Paulo, BR
Scape : Art and Industry Biennial 2004 Christchurch, NZ; Cuckoo Exhibition Gallery, Melbourne, AU
Possible Worlds (Curator), 64zero3, Christchurch, NZ
Think Local Act Global, City Gallery Wellington, NZ
Mobile, Blue Oyster Gallery, Dunedin, NZ
Nui Work, Inanui Gallery, Rarotonga, NZ
Performance Show, Sue Crockford Gallery, Auckland, NZ; Duets Ramp Gallery, Hamilton, NZ
2003
Points of Entry, Touring Exhibition; Australia, New Zealand, Canada. Artspace, Sydney, NZ
Recent Acquisitions, Auckland Art Gallery, NZ
Drawing Show, The Rooseum Center for Contemporary Art, Malmo, SE
Putting Out More Flags, MIC Gallery, Auckland, NZ
New Work, Adam Art Gallery, Wellington, NZ
Wonderland, Artspace, Auckland, NZ
2002
Centre of Attraction – 8th Baltic Triennial, Contemporary Art Centre, Vilnius, LT
Collection, Christchurch Art Gallery, NZ
Group, KunstRaum, Berlin, DE
Interior Horizons, Te Tuhi, Auckland, NZ
Indigo, Waikato Art Gallery, Hamilton, NZ
Balancing Lightly, Academy of Performing Arts, Hamilton, NZ
2001
MultiStylus Programme, Auckland Art Gallery, NZ
Prospect, City Gallery Wellington, NZ
4th New Zealand Jewellery Biennale, Govett-Brewster Art Gallery, New Plymouth; Dunedin Public Art Gallery, Dunedin; Dowse Art Gallery, Lower Hutt, NZ
Sightlines, Te Papa, Wellington, NZ
Te Ao Tawhito / Te Ao Hou, Museum of Missoula; Maui Arts and Culture Centre, US
2000
Flight Patterns, Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, US
Art from New Zealand, Chianti Foundation, Texas, US
That’s Entertainment, Physics Room, Christchurch, NZ
Drawing Show, Mori Gallery, Sydney, AU
Black and White, Sue Crockford Gallery, Auckland, NZ
1999
Toi Toi Toi, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, NZ; Museum Friedericianum Kassel, DE
badsituationism 10min26sec, Ludwig Forum for Internationalist Art, Aachen, DE
More Than Ever, Fiat Lux Gallery, Auckland, NZ
Who do I think I am, Artspace, Auckland, NZ
AWARDS AND GRANTS
2001
New Zealand Embassy Travel Grant – Germany
1989
Trust Bank Excellence Award 1991
Rose Memorial Art Gallery
Creative New Zealand Professional Development Grant
RESIDENCIES
2002
Baltic Triennial, Vilnius, LT
2001
Kunstlerhaus Schloss Wiepersdorf, DE
2000
Camden Arts Centre, London, UK
1999
Artspace Centre for Contemporary Arts, Sydney, AU
Ludwig Forum for Internationalist Art, Aachen, DE
1998
James Cook University, Townsville, AU
1997
Dunedin Public Art Gallery, Dunedin, NZ Govett Brewster Art Gallery, New Plymouth, NZ
PUBLIC ART COLLECTIONS
Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, Wellington, NZ
Chartwell Trust, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, Auckland, NZ
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, Auckland, NZ
Govett Brewster Art Gallery, New Plymouth, NZ
Christchurch Art Gallery, Christchurch, NZ
Adam Art Gallery, Wellington, NZ