Chung Fanky Chak

Chung Fanky Chak's photomontages explore urban landscapes on a massive scale. His prints capture the visual language of cities like Hong Kong, New York, Tokyo, and Montreal by examining the expectations and stereotypes we attach to these places. His artwork leans heavily toward conceptual themes, with a focus on symbolism and visual metaphor that invite us to look beyond the surface. Chak began The Boxes Project in 2005. The project’s concept took root in an unusual moment: one evening in 2004, while looking out from his high-rise apartment in Hong Kong, he noticed that the TVs in neighboring buildings displayed the same channel. This surreal image made him wonder how much people in these high-rise "boxes" truly share beyond what they see on TV, especially in a culture where neighbors seldom interact.

Rather than dismantling stereotypes outright, Chak’s artwork brings them into focus for us to interpret. For instance, even as a child, he was fascinated by Japanese culture through a media lens that created particular expectations. When he visited Japan to photograph for The Boxes Project, he found himself seeking out these familiar visual cues. His goal isn’t to say whether these stereotypes are true or false but to create an experience where we can question and reflect on our own assumptions about urban life.

After returning to the U.S., Chak began photographing windows without a specific plan in mind. Drawn to how these "boxes" could reflect deeper themes of connection and distance within a community, the project evolved over time to examine contrasts between "inside vs. outside"—of homes, individuals, and communities. Each work starts with a digital photograph. Some collages come together in a day, while others take years to perfect. The sheer file size means he sometimes has to scan the image piece by piece to capture all the details.

As an immigrant from Hong Kong, Chak's artwork consistently explores how human beings interact with their surroundings. He draws inspiration from cultural clashes, gender expectations, history, and the feeling of alienation. The aspiration is for his artwork to foster greater tolerance and understanding among individuals who are different from one another. Chak is an associate professor in graphic design at The Collage of New Jersey and brings a designer's perspective to his photography work.

Don't miss Chung Fanky Chak's artwork in our upcoming 2025 exhibition, In Plain Sight.