My name's Thomas C. Chung & I'm a Chinese-Australian contemporary artist. I'm originally from Hong Kong & grew up in Sydney, Australia, having lived there with my family since I was six months old. I have a Mum, Dad, and little sister who live there happily. I arrived at AARK in early April 2024 for the international artist's residency to carry out a particular project. Ever since I unpacked my bags, I've felt most welcome by everyone I've met. It has genuinely been heartwarming to feel this. I was even fortunate to see a fresh snowfall during my initial days here.
I've always been dedicated to the arts ever since I was a child. As important as it was to learn about numbers, facts & histories, I found it exciting to see another world without boundaries. I was initially attracted to it because of a beautiful girl in my class when I was six years old, so if I'm being honest, I decided to draw & write to keep her company. In many ways, this has been the story of my life…knowing what I wanted even when I didn't know how my life would unfold.
Over the past two decades, I've travelled extensively as an artist & lived in 15 countries. I never intended to go so far, but I had a vision that I had to complete. I guess you could say my inner child & I speak quite often & it has told me to keep going until we have found it. As I lived in one country & left for the other, my pursuit of this dream continued. It took me from Australia to North America before I found Europe & Asia. Some of my favourite places to visit have been the Nordic countries.
The last time I was here in this part of the world, I only transited through the airport in Helsinki. It's been 16 years since I last lived in this country, so I decided to spend time in the southern parts of Finland. There was a lot to discover that I hadn't yet seen. When I returned, I found something that had alluded me my entire life, so I decided to create an art performance for this. This next project — which could be my most challenging to date — speaks from my heart and soul.
To begin this process, I'm currently undertaking an endurance exercise in Korppoo, not as an athlete or anyone well-trained, but simply as someone willing to express himself to provide for others. It will be my first time doing this & it will be a 'walk for the lost children' to symbolize my compassion for all human beings who have lived turbulent lives throughout their childhoods. Starting from this island, I'll be walking to Helsinki (approximately 250 km). This will be a test of my physical & mental capabilities.
To raise money for this cause, I've created a crowdfunding event via the Finnish platform Mesenaatti. There's a selection of beautiful handmade items & artworks by myself, which I have as rewards for any funds that are collected.
Money raised from this project will be donated to youth & mental health charities in Finland. A passion of mine is seeing the children & adults of our world embrace the uncertainty that life often brings. My future beyond being an artist is to be a psychotherapist & one of my goals is to ensure that others in need are cared for. Our feelings often guide us to where we belong & that quest begins by understanding what lights up our lives.