The gloriously chromatic, cross-cultural curatorial flow of Claudia Cheng.
The first time I met Claudia Cheng was on an evening in May 2022 when her graceful demeanour decanted its way across the floor at Gillian Jason Gallery, London for the opening of Through the Prism, an exhibition she curated. Celebrating the power of diverse cultural influences in the art sector, the show is a reflection of Cheng’s pluralistic disposition; it proposes a dreamy and expansive, yet simultaneously more inclusive conversation.
Cheng was living the moment and, as so often, one step ahead, given that she’s been championing women artists for several years. As such, she’s witnessed an upswing in their support across art platforms and institutions, and a noticeable increase in awareness and recognition, with more exhibitions, publications and initiatives dedicated to highlighting the work of women artists. Simultaneously, major art institutions have attempted to rectify the gender imbalance in their collections and exhibitions.
Cheng should know. “As Tate’s patron, I was proud to celebrate in May the opening of the rehang of its permanent collection to display a majority of women artists, including some of my favourite contemporary artists – Tracey Emin, Bridget Riley, Rachel Jones, and France-Lise McGurn. While there’s still progress to be made, it’s encouraging to see more opportunities for women artists to have their voices heard and their contributions acknowledged.”
And that impetus has been percolating through Hong Kong. “The landscape for female artists in Hong Kong has evolved significantly,” she says, noting their increased visibility in both local and international art scenes. “Hong Kong-born artists, such as Firenze Lai, Kristy Chan, Mizuki Nishiyama and Jade Ching-Yuk Ng, are among those making waves with their thought-provoking and visually captivating works. They challenge conventional notions and push the boundaries of artistic expression, contributing to the diverse and dynamic art scene in Hong Kong and beyond.”
Much like Cheng. Most recently she’s curated all-female shows that include Tizta Berhanu: Synthesis of Souls at Addis Fine Art Gallery, London, Lightness of Being at Kwai Fung Hin Gallery, Hong Kong, The Earth Has Music for Those Who Listen at Sapling Gallery, London, Window to Her Soul for Artsy, and other exhibitions supporting the Nature Conservancy and Project Healthy Minds.
Cheng’s curatorial charisma was immediately apparent to Millie Jason Foster, co-founder of Gillian Jason Gallery. “Claudia Cheng and I met in the London art-world circles and we quickly bonded over our passion for championing female artists. The synergies between our tastes and interests were very clear.” Cheng’s curation for GJG Gallery revealed the possibilities of universal connectivity.
“Claudia brought with her some emerging artist names who represented the East of the globe [Ng, Nishiyama] along with ideas to match emerging talent with more established western names from GJC’s collection [Emin, Cecily Brown, etc],” Foster explains, acknowledging the exhibition’s richness. “Claudia is an instinctual curator with good commercial sensibilities. She has an identifiable aesthetic in the artworks that she chooses and an ability to unite visually strong artworks with a nuanced concept. Thus, the artworks in Through the Prism were rich with colour and had an undeniable wealth of stories to tell.“
And showed Foster a brave new world. “We completely fell in love with the practices of both Mizuki Nishiyama and Jade Ching-yuk Ng, whose themes fit in beautifully with the Gallery’s vision of working with female artists who combine contemporary social commentary with their heritage and take inspiration from great artistic Masters of the past. We still work incredibly closely with Mizuki and have Claudia to thank for putting us together.”
Hong Kong-born artist Ng found Cheng a revelation. “Claudia Cheng is unique, as she invests and supports so much of her time with the artists she works with. This quality is rare in regard to the fast-paced turnover of most art exhibitions these days. Her writing depicts such sensuality in my work and it’s like an Easter egg which always brings me surprises from a very individualistic perspective.”
Nishiyama bonded instantly with Cheng, too. “What really set the tone of not only the friendship but also the working relationship that Claudia and I share, is the fact that she is deeply reliant, respectful and creative.” Cheng, she feels, got the best of her. “With patience, Claudia helped enhance and support my abstracted work process without limitations. She has a storytelling ability both from her natural love of art but also from her work ethic which she uses to critically pinpoint and direct the way artworks can best be experienced in a space.”
Cheng began her art career at Christie’s, after gaining a BA at Stanford University.
At Christie’s, she oversaw collaborations with luxury purveyors such as Chanel and Bottega Veneta. She now serves as a patron of Tate as well as the Serpentine Galleries in London. Browse her site (claudia-cheng.com) and she’s industrious and active, one moment interviewing British artist Rachel Garrard about inspiration for works showing in Kwai Fung Hin gallery, the next she’s asking Hong Kong artist Kristy Chan to describe her work in three words. Cheng also offers commercial and confidential advisory services and, with her razor-keen eye, advises collectors on everything from emerging to established artists to develop their collections. And always prioritising female artists.
So who’s her GOAT? “Georgia O’Keeffe holds a special place in my heart,” says Cheng. “She changed the way I see the world – her magnified flowers enhance the exquisite beauty and emotional power of an otherwise delicate and easily overlooked object. She once said: ‘If you take a flower in your hand and really look at it, it’s your world for a moment.’”
Cheng has synesthesia – a neurological condition whereby the stimulation of one sense triggers a sensation in another. And she shares with O’Keeffe a condition known as chromesthesia, which causes individuals with the condition to perceive colour while listening to music. “If I could take only one female artist’s work to a desert island, it would be Georgia O’Keeffe’s Music, Pink, and Blue No 2 [1918]”, she says. “This painting transports me into a seemingly infinite space filled with music and colour, creating a meditative and otherworldly experience. The work would echo the beauty of nature around me, providing a sense of solace, wonder, and connection to the broader universe in the solitude of a desert island.”
Back in the cut and thrust of the art world, recent shows have left lasting impressions on Cheng, including Anna-Eva Bergman’s retrospective A Journey Within at the Musée d’Art Moderne in Paris in May – “Her works are windows to the soul. I was enchanted by her ability to weave together the hedonistic spirit of the Mediterranean [where she lived with her husband Hans Hartung] with her spiritual Nordic roots. She once said, ‘The secret of art does not lie in the will to create but to let something be created through oneself.’” And then, as so often, Cheng gets poetic. “From magnified oceanic rocks to luminescent trees bathed in moonlight to abstract portals to the cosmos, Bergman’s paintings express the universal relationship between harmony and beauty.”
And she loves Tate Modern’s Hilma af Klint and Piet Mondrian exhibition so much she’s been four times already. “It’s a world of pulsating colours, enigmatic symbols and euphoric spirals – at once rapturous and meditative, these works are foundational to abstract art. The show wonderfully illustrates the many synchronicities between the two artists’ practices – from the rhythmical quality of their lines to their symbolic forms inspired by spiritualism and theosophy.”
Follow Cheng’s Insta for a glimpse into her dreamy life. When she’s not curating shows, prowling art fairs or on studio visits, she loves to unwind in the Mediterranean. “I love the Côte d’Azur because it’s the perfect combination of rich artistic heritage, hedonistic Mediterranean spirit and shimmering natural beauty. Artists like Matisse, Morisot, Picasso and Cézanne were drawn to the region’s artistic community, luminous light and landscapes, leaving behind a legacy that continues to inspire artists today.”
And work – though she makes it seem like recreation – is never far behind. “A few of my favourite art foundations and museums there include Châteaux La Coste, Fondation Maeght, Musée Matisse and Musée Picasso. I always love to visit La Colombe D’Or, a charming hotel and restaurant in Saint Paul de Vence, which houses incredible artwork, from a Léger mural in the courtyard to a Calder mobile swaying by the pool.” (Major FOMO.)
And when she does lounge poolside, she’ll more likely read than swim. “I’ve been a bookworm for as long as I can remember,” she says. Most recently she’s read Muriel Barbery’s The Elegance of the Hedgehog and The Creative Act: A Way of Being by Rick Rubin, and mentions some of her all-time favourite reads, which include The Art of Living by Thich That Hanh, Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer, and Eckhart Tolle’s The Power of Now.
Besides Katy Hessel’s ground-breaking The Story of Art Without Men, which art titles might she recommend to a relative novice? “A few of my favourite art books, which taught me a lot about women artists, are Ninth Street Woman by Mary Gabriel, The Other Side: A Journey into Women, Art and the Spirit World by Jennifer Higgie, and Women Artists: The Linda Nochlin Reader.”
What advice does she give nascent collectors? “Take time to explore different artists, styles and mediums to develop your own taste. Collect art that you feel your soul connects to – art that brings you joy to live with. Works that speak to you and evoke an emotional response. Visit galleries, museums, and art fairs to understand different artistic styles and mediums. Build relationships with artists, curators, and galleries to keep a pulse on the art market. Seek advice from an art advisor, who can help you with anything from your first acquisition to building your dream collection. And collect with passion and authenticity, allowing your collection to reflect your personal journey.”
How does Cheng distinguish the current New York, London and Hong Kong art ecosystems? “New York’s always buzzing – from exciting institutional shows to auction records flooding the headlines. There’s a strong emphasis on the contemporary art market and a rich history of collecting. What I love about London’s art scene is its continuous dialogue between the past and present – aside from wonderful museums, it has an incredibly dynamic and collaborative community built around supporting emerging artists. London collectors strike a balance between historical and contemporary art, while Hong Kong collectors are influenced by both Eastern and Western aesthetics and have a keen interest in artworks that bridge cultural boundaries. I love that Hong Kong is the gateway between the East and the West, so its galleries, art fairs and private collections often juxtapose artwork from both cultures. A painting by Zao Wou-Ki might hang alongside Georges Mathieu’s work, next to a beautiful conversation between Joan Mitchell and Myonghi Kang. I love seeing how one culture flows into another.”
Which sounds much like the process Cheng has perfected – and curated – the art of.