Howie Tsui

Vancouver, Canada

Vancouver- based artist Howie Tsui was born in Hong Kong but raised in Lagos, Nigeria before moving to Thunder Bay, Ontario in Canada. He can be seen as an artist who, like many, has grown up straddling different worlds and cultures and as such has a complicated relationship with their identity.

Tsui’s latest solo exhibition ‘Retainers of Anarchy’ is taking off. A 25 metre ‘scroll’ video installation, Tsui combines the Chinese narrative tool of wuxia with modern technology. In doing so he disrupts understood notions of linearity and history and makes a bold cultural statement in the process. By alluding to this form of Chinese fantasy literature (which sees lower social classes uphold chivalric rights against oppressors and tyrants) and applying it to a modern day visual format, Tsui invites the viewer to reflect on the worlds in which we live.

Tsui’s work has been exhibited worldwide in places as diverse as Canada, Copenhagen, and Shanghai. His art is also part of public collections including those of the National Gallery of Canada and Vancouver Art Gallery. ‘Retainers of Anarchy’ has shows scheduled throughout Canada until 2020 and Tsui has recently been longlisted for the 2018 Sobey Art Award.

Exhibitions Parallax Chambers November 10, 2018 - January 08, 2019 Growth September 01, 2018 - October 10, 2018 New Space Soft Opening Exhibition July 03, 2017 - July 27, 2017 10 Years of Love February 19, 2017 - March 22, 2017 Fireflowers July 02, 2016 - August 16, 2016 Teleportation January 23, 2016 - March 03, 2016 Bites Back February 14, 2015 - March 31, 2015

28 Works

Parallax Chambers (White Camel Mountain No.1)
Howie Tsui

Parallax Chambers (White Camel Mountain No.2)
Howie Tsui

Retainers of Anarchy
Howie Tsui

Parallax Neon (White Camel Mountain)
Howie Tsui

Poison Purge
Howie Tsui

Daisy Chain
Howie Tsui

Winged Assassin
Howie Tsui

Joyride
Howie Tsui

Herc
Howie Tsui

Falcon
Howie Tsui

Drag Spud
Howie Tsui

Mantis Prey
Howie Tsui

The Talent
Howie Tsui

Gangshi Creek
Howie Tsui

Celestials of Gold Mountain
Howie Tsui

Retainers of Anarchy (Taohua Island)
Howie Tsui

Retainers of Anarchy (Limited collector's set)
Howie Tsui

Literati Mech No.1
Howie Tsui

Retainers of Anarchy (Tavern Havoc)
Howie Tsui

Fossil Mech #3
Howie Tsui

Fossil Mech #1
Howie Tsui

Avuncular Impulses
Howie Tsui

Of Shunga & Monsters (Composite 1)
Howie Tsui

Kowloon / Wudang Walled City (Retainer of Anarchy component)
Howie Tsui

Forest Romp
Howie Tsui

Dead Sea
Howie Tsui

Parallax Chambers (White Camel Mountain No.1)
Howie Tsui

Parallax Chambers (White Camel Mountain No.2)
Howie Tsui

CV

BORN

1978 in Hong Kong

EDUCATION

2002
BFA, University of Waterloo, Canada

SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2024
The cradle rocks above an abyss, Hanart TZ, Hong Kong

2023
Retainers of Anarchy, Glenbow Museum, Calgary

2022
Retainers of Anarchy, Art Windsor - Essex
A Prologue to Entombment, Patel Brown, Toronto

2021
Retainers of Anarchy, Art Gallery of Greater Victoria

2020
From swelling shadows, we draw our bows, The Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery, Toronto (catalog)
Retainers of Anarchy, The Ringling Museum of Art, USA
Parallax Chambers, Burrard Arts Foundation, Vancouver

2019
Retainers of Anarchy, Ottawa Art Gallery

2018
Retainers of Anarchy, OCAT Museum Xi'an, China
Parallax Chambers, Art Labor Gallery, Shanghai (catalogue)

2017
Retainers of Anarchy, Vancouver Art Gallery, Canada (catalogue)

2013
Friendly Fire, Art Gallery of Southwestern Manitoba, Brandon, Canada
Horror Fables, Le Gallery, Toronto, Canada
Celestials of Gold Mountain, Wil Aballe Art Projects, Vancouver, Canada

2012
Radiant Specters, Gallery Wendi Norris, San Francisco, USA
Friendly Fire, Agnes Etherington Art Centre, Kingston, Canada (catalogue)

2011
Celestials of Saltwater City, Centre A, Vancouver, Canada

2010
Horror Fables, Montréal, arts interculturels (MAI), Montréal, Canada
Of Manga & Mongrels, Gallery Jones, Vancouver, Canada

2009
Horror Fables, Carleton University Art Gallery, Ottawa, Canada (catalogue)
Horror Fables, Ace Art Inc., Winnipeg, Canada

2008
Of Shunga & Monsters, Le Gallery, Toronto, Canada

2007
Of Manga & Mongrels, G+ Gallery, Toronto, Canada

2006
Of Manga & Mongrels, Gallery 101, Ottawa, Canada

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2024
Assembly, Australian Centre on China and the World

2023
Statistics of Fortune: Macao International Art Biennale, Macao Museum of Art
Mountains of the Mind, Ringling Museum of Art

2022
Outlaws, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney (AUS)

2021
Stories that animate us, Vancouver Art Gallery
「INK CITY」, Tai Kwun Contemporary, Hong Kong

2019
Spring!, Galerie LJ, Paris
Façade Festival, Vancouver Art Gallery and Burrard Arts Foundation

2018
Luminocity, Kamloops Art Gallery
Diverse Voices from Vancouver, Elizabeth Leach Gallery, Portland
Growth, ART LABOR Gallery, Shanghai

2017
New Space Soft Opening Exhibition, ART LABOR Gallery, Shanghai
10 Years of Love, ART LABOR Gallery, Shanghai

2016
Fireflowers, ART LABOR Gallery, Shanghai

2015
Bites Back, ART LABOR Gallery, Shanghai
Anatomica, Dalhousie University Art Gallery, Halifax, Canada
越界/粵界 (Transgression/Cantosphere), Centre A (Vancouver International Centre for Contemporary Asian Art), Canada

2014
Shine a Light: Canadian Biennial 2014, National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa (catalogue)
Islands Off the Shore of Asia, Para Site, Hong Kong
Thru the Trapdoor, On Main Gallery, Vancouver
Neo Folk, Ikkan Art International, Singapore
Beside Yourself, Audain Art Centre, Vancouver

2013
You Cannot Kill What is Already Dead, Doris McCarthy Gallery, Toronto
Spatial Poetics XII: Release Me, Powell Street Festival, Vancouver
Intersections, Cineworks, Vancouver
Accumulations, Le Gallery, Toronto
A Clear Blazing Trail, Magic Pony Gallery, Toronto

2012
Phantoms of Asia: Contemporary Awakens the Past, Asian Art Museum of San Francisco, San Francisco, USA
The Calendar’s Tales, 808 Gallery, Boston University School of Fine Arts, Boston, USA
Local Flora, Galerie SAW Gallery, Ottawa

2011
Picture Book 1, Interurban Gallery, Vancouver

2010
Exploded View, Ottawa Art Gallery
Monster, West Vancouver Museum
Par Chemin, Yves Laroche Galerie d’art, Montreal

2009
Life Drawing, Narwhal Art Projects, Toronto

2008
Hut on an Island, Grasshut Gallery, Portland
Listen to your Heart, MOHS Exhibit, Copenhagen
Parcours et Perspectives, Musée d'art contemporain de Baie-Saint-Paul, Quebec

2007
The Pleasure, Jaime Torres Bodet Cultural Centre, Mexico City

2006
Paper Pushers, Gallery 1988, Los Angeles
Fresh Start, Arena 1 Gallery, Santa Monica, USA
Said and Done, AntiSocial Gallery, Vancouver

2005
Enjoy Relax Happy, Niagara Gallery, Toronto
My Culture Includes My Scene, Ottawa Art Gallery
Then and Now, Gene Siskel Film Center of the Chicago Institute of Art
Semi-Permanent05: Sketchel, Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre, Australia

2004
Fresh Produce 04, Gallery Anno Domini, San Jose, USA

2003
Scatalogue: 30 Years of Crap in Contemporary Art, Galerie SAW Gallery, Ottawa

AWARDS

2018
Sobey Art Award Longlist

2012
RBC Emerging Artist Award

2010
Corel Endowment Fund for the Arts Award

2005
Joseph S. Stauffer Prize, Canada Council for the Arts

2003
Best Painting, Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition

GRANTS

2024
Canada Council for the Arts, Concept to Realization Grant

2023
Canada Council for the Arts, Arts Abroad

2022
Canada Council for the Arts, Arts Abroad

2021
Canada Council for the Arts, Concept to Realization Grant

2020
Canada Council for the Arts, Digital Originals

2019
Canada Council for the Arts, Concept to Realization Grant
Canada Council for the Arts, Travel Grant
British Columbia Arts Council, Professional Development Grant

2018
Canada Council for the Arts, Travel Grant

2015
Canada Council for the Arts, Long-Term Grants to Visual Artist

2014
BC Arts Council, Project Assistance to Visual Artists

2013
Canada Council for the Arts, Assistant to Visual Artists: Project Grants

2012
Canada Council for the Arts, Travel Grant

2011
Canada Council for the Arts, Assistant to Visual Artists: Project Grants
Ontario Arts Council, Exhibition Assistance Grant
Ontario Arts Council, Visual Artists Emerging Grant
City of Ottawa, Creation / Production Grant

2010
Canada Council for the Arts, Travel Grant
Ontario Arts Council, Exhibition Assistance Grant

2009
Canada Council for the Arts, Assistant to Visual Artists: Project Grants
Canada Council for the Arts, Travel Grant
Ontario Arts Council, Exhibition Assistance Grant
Ontario Arts Council, Visual Artists Emerging Grant
City of Ottawa, Creation / Production Grant

2007
Canada Council for the Arts, Travel Grant
Ontario Arts Council, Visual Artists Emerging Grant
City of Ottawa, Creation / Production Grant

2006
Ontario Arts Council, Exhibition Assistance Grant

2005
Canada Council for the Arts, Assistant to Visual Artists: Project Grants
Ontario Arts Council, Exhibition Assistance Grant

2004
Ontario Arts Council, Visual Artists Emerging Grant
City of Ottawa, Creation / Production Grant

RESIDENCIES

2019
Burrard Arts Foundation

2014
Spring Workshop, Hong Kong

2011
Centre A, Vancouver

2009
Art City, Winnipeg

2008
Symposium international d'art contemporain de Baie-St-Paul, Baie-Saint-Paul, QC

2007
Islands Fold Artist Residency, Pender Island, BC

PUBLIC COLLECTIONS

National Gallery of Canada
Art Gallery of New South Wales
Vancouver Art Gallery
Art Gallery of Ontario
Ottawa Art Gallery
Musée d'Art Contemporain de Baie-Saint-Paul
Canada Council Art Bank
City of Ottawa
Global Affairs Canada (Embassy of Canada, Beijing)
M+ (Hong Kong)
RBC Art Collection
Ringling Museum
McMichael Canadian Art Collection