In London’s National Gallery, Ming Wong reimagines Saint Sebastian as a cinematic icon, slipping across languages and histories. His latest film, Dance of the Sun on the Water, features performers embodying the saint in fluid, queer performances within Renaissance masterpieces.
Wong's career has been defined by destabilizing fixed identities. Born in Singapore amidst rapid urbanization and language changes, he defied expectations to become an artist, studying traditional Chinese art and later exploring cinema through postcolonial lens.
His signature technique, 'miscasting,' allows him to play every role himself, subverting race, gender, and identity in works like Life of Imitation. His installations often mimic proscenium stages, layering meanings across time and space.
Reflecting on creativity in the digital age, Wong argues that originality is but one node in complex chains. He aims to create a 'variable collage' – unstable yet ever-evolving art forms that reflect human experience and meaning-making.
