Wai Hang Siu is a multidisciplinary artist whose practice primarily engages with the medium of photography to explore social structures, history, and the contemporary identity of being a Hong Konger. His work serves as a vessel for investigating the worldview of individuals within broader social and political shifts, highlighting the encounter between traditional photographic principles and contemporary digital processes. Siu’s practice is characterized by a deep contemplation of the photographic medium’s nature, often using it to uncover narratives that are disappearing or undergoing profound transformation.

In his ongoing series, Customers, Siu reconfigures everyday thermal paper receipts from around the world into unique photographic portraits. By collecting receipts from diverse cultural backgrounds—including Hong Kong, the UK, Germany, and Mexico—he reveals the rhythms, habits, and lifestyles of individuals through the coded information embedded in their transactions. Central to the work is the inherent instability of thermal paper; as the material gradually fades, it mirrors the transient nature of consumer behavior within global consumer culture. These singular, non-reproducible objects serve as a collective portrait of contemporary urban life, reflecting on how consumerism transcends geographic boundaries to structure personal identity.

Siu’s career is marked by prestigious international recognition, including the FORMAT Patron Award 2023 and the Hong Kong Human Rights Art Prize (2018). He is a twice-winner of the WYNG Masters Award and received the First Prize of the Hong Kong Photobook Dummy Award 2021. His work is held in world-class permanent collections, including SFMOMA, the New York Public Library, and the M+ Museum in Hong Kong. Having exhibited extensively across Europe, Asia, and North America, Siu continues to be a vital voice in experimental photography, bridge-building between history, society, and the evolving image.

Education & Training

2012

MFA (International Online Art Fair Selection), City University of Hong Kong

2010

Bachelor of Arts (Fine Arts), Department of Fine Arts, CUHK, Hongkong

Exhibition & Projects (Selection)

2026

Somewhere, Someday, Robert Phillips Gallery, United Kingdom

2025

Experimental Photo Festival 2025, Barcelona, Spain

2024

Iron Barricades - Cable Ties - Hope, Solo Exhibition, United Kingdom

Critical Geography, Fotofest 2024, USA

2023

Format 23, Derby, United Kingdom

2021

Unreasonable Behaviour, Solo Exhibition, Goethe-Institut, Hong Kong

2018

Hong Kong Human Rights Arts Prize (Winner), Hongkong

2017

Jimei Arles International Photo Festival, China

2016

WYNG Masters Award Exhibition (Winner), Hongkong