Yat Kiu Jasper Cheng
Born in 90s, Jasper belongs to a generation caught between the analog and digital age where technology gave access to new tangible alternate realities. With the return of old films, music, off-grid living and vintage fashion, his practice explores the effects of internet technology and its influcence on contemporary youth culture and nostalgia in western society.
Previously trained as an architect, Jasper now uses painting to curate spaces and navigate between digital and physical landscapes, populating present found imagery with motives salvaged from early MTV motion graphics, Arthouse films and found childhood objects from the internet, distorting space and temporality, resulting in dreamlike escapes. His work resonates deeply with those currently entering adulthood, for whom nostalgia holds a potent allure.
Stylistically, Jasper is influenced by Soft-core indie music aka “Bedroom Pop”, characterised by synthetic melodies created from home studio equipment to evoke senses of nostalgia. Jasper combines these synthetic melodies with impressionist painting styles and prepared grainy surfaces to achieve a soft nostalgic effect, presenting the ordinary in a cloud of warm haze and technicolor dream.
CV/ Exhibitions
Education
Bachelor of Fine Arts | Manchester School of Architecture | First Class Honors.
Solo Exhibitions
2023 “A Place Nobody Knows”, Saan.1 Gallery, Manchester, UK
2022 “Wandering People”, KERB Wine Ancoats, Manchester, UK
Group Exhibitions & Gallery Openings
2024
"HOME-RUN” , Seesaw Space, Manchester, UK
“Passageways”, Sacks n Bird Gallery, London, UK
“Bonham Tree Aid Auction”, Saan.1 Gallery, Manchester, UK
2023
"Summer Exhibition 2023” , Royal Academy of Arts, London , UK
“Unity'“, Smolensky Gallery Opening, Manchester, UK
“Strange Faces in the Mirror”, Saan.1 Gallery, Manchester, UK
“Shadowists”, Saan.1 Gallery, Manchester, UK
2022
“Breaking Bread”, RAG Gallery, Manchester, UK
“LAYERS”, Saan.1 Gallery, Manchester, UK
Notable articles/ magazine features
Artnet News - “This is an Era of Diaspora”: How Hong Kong’s art community is finding home in the U.K - Vivienne Chow
The HongKonger - Unpack Gallery, “Not Yet a Hero”
Journal on Medium - “All Around me are familiar faces or stranger’s gazes? - Lesley Cheung
Collections/ Collectors
“TV 2” - The Rumi Foundation - London, UK
Works held within International Private Collections across United Kingdom & USA