Luise Fong

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Luise Fong
Luise Fong 2024 Newton Road, Auckland (cropped).jpg
Fong in 2024
Born
Luise Tet Fong

1964 (age 60–61)
Sandakan, Malaysia
NationalityNew Zealand, Malaysia
Education Elam School of Fine Arts
Alma mater University of Auckland
Known forpainting
Notable work"Blatant Cosmos" 1993
"Minor (triptych)" 1994
"Dragon" 1995
"Wave" 2009
"1850" 2007-2015
Styleabstraction
Awards1994 Premier Award winner, Visa Gold Art Awards (co-winners with Bill Hammond)

Luise Fong (born 1964) is a Malaysian-born New Zealand artist, known for her feminine organic abstract shapes in contrast to the hard-edge abstraction often associated with her male predecessors. [1]

Contents

Fong was born in Sandakan, Malaysia, and moved to Auckland, New Zealand, at a young age. In 1983, she started study at the Wellington Polytechnic for textile design. She was later accepted into University of Auckland's Elam School of Fine Arts in 1986, and was graduated with Bachelor of Fine Arts in print-making in 1989. [2]

Fong was lecturing at Elam School of Fine Arts between 1993-1994, and in 1994, she was granted artist-in-residence at University of Melbourne's Victorian College of the Arts.

Luise Fong in studio, Auckland, New Zealand, 1995 Luise Fong in Studio, 1995.jpg
Luise Fong in studio, Auckland, New Zealand, 1995

In 1994, Fong was the joint Premier Award winners with Bill Hammond for the Visa Gold Art Award, the largest art prize in New Zealand at the time. Fong moved to Melbourne in 1995, and worked there until 2001, when she was made a lecturer in painting at University of Auckland's Elam School of Fine Arts. She was working there until 2005. [1] [2]

Her work was part of several important international exhibitions, including Cultural Safety: Contemporary Art from New Zealand, in Frankfurter Kunstverein in Germany (1995) and Trans/fusion: Hong Kong artists' exchange, Hong Kong Arts Centre and Auckland Art City Gallery (1996). [1]

Luise Fong's Blatant Cosmos (1993) on the cover of Contemporary Painting in New Zealand (1996) by Michael Dunn Luise Fong in Contemporary Painting in New Zealand by Michael Dunn.jpg
Luise Fong's Blatant Cosmos (1993) on the cover of Contemporary Painting in New Zealand (1996) by Michael Dunn

Fong has held many residency positions; including a residency at the Govett-Brewster Art Gallery in 1995, [3] and University of Canterbury in 1999. Fong was artist in residence at the McCahon House Residency in Titirangi in 2008. [4] [5]

In 2020, Fong discovered a missing painting by Dame Louise Henderson, in Mount Albert Grammar School. Fong attended a function event, and was given a tour of their G J Moyal Collection. Art Galleries throughout Auckland and Christchurch were trying to locate April from The "Twelve Months" series for the exhibition Louise Henderson: From Life. Fong recognised the style and suspected it could be the missing painting, which it turned out to be. [6] [7]

Minor

Minor, also known as Minor (triptych), is an best known artwork by Fong that won the Premier Award at the Visa Gold Art Award in 1994. The awards were held at the City Gallery Wellington, from 13 August to 5 September 1994. [8] Visa Gold Art Award was the biggest art prize in New Zealand at the time. 1994 was the only year where there were two winners selected for the Premier Award, Fong was joint-winners of the Premier Award with Bill Hammond. [9] The painting was also part of the exhibition Cultural Safety: Contemporary Art from New Zealand, in Frankfurter Kunstverein in Germany (1995), and City Gallery Wellington in New Zealand (1995-1996). [10]

Minor is a representative of her artistic practice, exploring delicate surfaces that may stem from her background as a textile designer. During this period, Fong created her paintings on doors, giving them a relatable scale in relation to the human body. The doors are adorned with blots, stains, and holes, creating a dynamic visual experience that never allows the viewer's eye to rest. These elements contribute to a distinctive fluidity in her work, which is intentionally perceived as feminine, especially in contrast to the hard-edge abstraction often associated with her male predecessors. The musical title reinforces the emotional response elicited from the viewer. Minor is held in the Fletcher Trust in Auckland, New Zealand. [8] [10]

Collections

Her work is held in numerous private and major public collections throughout New Zealand, including Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, [11] Auckland Art Gallery, [12] Auckland War Memorial Museum, [13] Dunedin Public Art Gallery, [14] Govett-Brewster Art Gallery, [15] Christchurch Art Gallery, [16] Te Manawa Museum, [17] University of Auckland, [18] Fletcher Trust, [8] Chartwell Trust, [19] McCahon House Trust, [20] University of Canterbury, [21] and Dame Jenny Gibbs Collection. [22]

Selected Awards

Selected Residencies

Selected solo exhibitions

Source: [28]

Selected group exhibitions

Source: [33]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Luise Fong: Universe". Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū. Archived from the original on 25 January 2023. Retrieved 24 May 2018.
  2. 1 2 "Luise Fong". Antoinette Godkin Gallery. 3 September 2015. Archived from the original on 24 January 2022. Retrieved 24 May 2018.
  3. ↑ "Residencies - Aotearoa / New Zealand and International Artists in Residence". Govett-Brewster Art Gallery - Len Lye Centre. Archived from the original on 25 September 2022. Retrieved 24 May 2018. Luise Fong (Malaysia/NZ), 1995
  4. ↑ "Luise Fong McCahon House Artists Residency". McCahon House. Archived from the original on 2 July 2019. Retrieved 24 May 2018.
  5. ↑ "Tree House: McCahon House Residency Five Years On". Te Uru Waitakere Contemporary Gallery. 2011. Archived from the original on 25 January 2023. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
  6. ↑ "Chance high school visit solves 40-year-old art world mystery". NZ Herald. 9 July 2024. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  7. ↑ Hepburn, Graham (30 July 2020). "'Missing' painting on display". Mount Albert Grammar School. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  8. 1 2 3 "Minor (triptych)". The Fletcher Trust Collection. Retrieved 14 June 2025.
  9. ↑ "Visa Gold Art Awards". christchurchartgallery.org.nz. Retrieved 14 June 2025.
  10. 1 2 Gregory, Burke (1995). Cultural Safety: Contemporary Art from New Zealand. Germany: Erste Auflage. p. 51. ISBN   0-908818-30-0.
  11. ↑ "Collections Online - Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa". collections.tepapa.govt.nz. Retrieved 19 August 2023.
  12. ↑ "Luise Fong". Auckland Art Gallery. Retrieved 19 August 2023.
  13. ↑ "dress". Auckland War Memorial Museum. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
  14. ↑ "Bodywork". Dunedin Public Art Gallery. Retrieved 19 August 2023.
  15. ↑ "Collection Item | Govett-Brewster Art Gallery | Len Lye Centre". govettbrewster.com. Retrieved 19 August 2023.
  16. ↑ "Search". christchurchartgallery.org.nz. Retrieved 19 August 2023.
  17. ↑ "Vulgar Planet VI". Te Manawa Online Collection. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  18. ↑ "Art Collection > Search Results". artcollection.auckland.ac.nz. Retrieved 19 August 2023.
  19. ↑ Chartwell. "Luise Fong". The Chartwell Project. Retrieved 19 August 2023.
  20. ↑ "Luise Fong | McCahon House". mccahonhouse.org.nz. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  21. ↑ Library, University of Canterbury. "Small Orbit 4". kohika.canterbury.ac.nz. Retrieved 19 August 2023.
  22. ↑ "Bergman Gallery announce representation of Luise Fong". Artnow. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  23. 1 2 Chartwell. "Luise Fong". The Chartwell Project. Retrieved 26 September 2023.
  24. 1 2 "REview - Luise Fong". Eventfinda. 5 July 2020. Retrieved 26 September 2023.
  25. ↑ "Luise Fong | McCahon House". mccahonhouse.org.nz. Retrieved 26 September 2023.
  26. ↑ "Luise Fong: Universe". christchurchartgallery.org.nz. Retrieved 26 September 2023.
  27. ↑ "Luise Fong". Asian Aotearoa Arts Huì. Retrieved 26 September 2023.
  28. ↑ "Artfull - Luise Fong - Aotearoa New Zealand artist". Artfull. Retrieved 20 September 2023.
  29. ↑ "Luise Fong: Nexus". artguide.artforum.com. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
  30. ↑ "Roy Good, Luise Fong, NorthArt | Artsdiary 3347". www.artsdiary.co.nz. Retrieved 20 September 2023.
  31. ↑ "Luise Fong, Antoinette Godkin Art House | Artsdiary 2720". artsdiary.co.nz. Retrieved 20 September 2023.
  32. ↑ "Jonathan Smart Gallery". www.jonathansmartgallery.com. Retrieved 21 September 2023.
  33. ↑ "Artfull - Luise Fong - Aotearoa New Zealand artist". Artfull. Retrieved 21 September 2023.
  34. ↑ "Bergman at Aotearoa Art Fair". Artnow. Retrieved 16 April 2025.
  35. ↑ "Generation X: 50 Artworks from the Chartwell Collection". City Gallery. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
  36. ↑ "Feminine/Abstract". Artnow. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
  37. ↑ "Belonging: Stories of Contemporary New Zealand Asian Artists". artguide.artforum.com. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  38. ↑ ""ABSTRAXT" at NorthArt | Artsdiary 4087a". artsdiary.co.nz. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  39. ↑ "A feast for the eyes: Umukai transports viewers to the Cook Islands". Cook Islands News. 11 May 2024. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  40. ↑ "Horizon". Artforum. Retrieved 21 September 2023.
  41. ↑ "A Place to call Home | 15 June - 8 July 2023 - Overview". Bergman Gallery. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
  42. ↑ "A Place To Call Home - Contemporary New Zealand Asian Art". Artnow. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
  43. ↑ "Bodywork". Dunedin Public Art Gallery. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
  44. ↑ "PAINTING: ONE". Two Rooms. Retrieved 20 September 2023.
  45. ↑ "Cultural Safety: Contemporary Art from New Zealand -". citygallery.org.nz. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
  46. 1 2 "Luise Fong: Universe". christchurchartgallery.org.nz. Retrieved 21 September 2023.
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