Nicolas Cheng is based in Stockholm, Sweden.
Studied Interior Architecture in London and Hong Kong before receiving his BA from the Design Academy Eindhoven (2006). Upon graduation, he joined Fabrica Research Centre in Treviso, Italy. He earned his MFA from Konstfack University of Arts, Crafts and Design (2010). In 2019, he completed his PhD from the University of Gothenburg and is published under the title: World Wide Workshop: The Craft of Noticing (2019). Part of his research focuses on an interdisciplinary approach to craft practice in order to re-examine the past, present and future orientation of craft, and its relationship to geopolitics, posthumanities and knowledge production within and outside the institutional context.
In 2011, while maintaining an individual studio practice, together with fellow artist Beatrice Brovia, they co-founded the collaborative practice Conversation Piece, a hands-on study on interconnectedness and interdependency: a reflection on making together with each other through conversation, misunderstanding and friction, and a dialogic space where notions of authorship and self-reliance are challenged.
His individual and collaboration work has been exhibited at institutions such as RIAN Design Museum (SE), Triennale Design Museum (IT), Stedelijk Museum 's-Hertogenbosch (NL), Pinakothek der Moderne (DE), Design Miami and Basel (US/CH), Asia Society (HK), Cheongju International Craft Biennale (KR), Z33 in Hasselt (BE), Galleri F 15 in Moss (NO), Sanit-Etienne Design Biennale (FR), The Dowse Art Museum, Lower Hutt (NZ) and MAD - The Museum of Arts and Design (US).
Lectures/Seminars/Other Activities
2020: Artistic Research KU Seminar, Linköping University (SE)
2020: Seminar: Craft & Materiality with BA Craft Department, Konstfack, Stockholm (SE)
2020: Artists Talk, at The Pah Homestead - Wallace Arts Centre (NZ)
2020: Lecture at AUT - Auckland University of Technology, Auckland (NZ)
2020: Lecture and Workshop at Otago Polytechnic - Dunedin School of Art, Dunedin (NZ)
2020: Lecture and Workshop at Massey University, Wellington (NZ)
2020: Lecture at Objectspace, Auckland (NZ)
2019: Guest Critic with MA2, Design Department at Konstfack, Stockholm (SE)
2019: Lecture at RIAN Designmusuem, Falkenberg (SE)
2019: Opponent of MA examination, Design Department at Konstfack, Stockholm (SE)
2019: Discussant - Iaspis Open House - Konstnärsnämnden, Stockholm (SE)
2019: Opponent of MA examination, Craft Department at Konstfack, Stockholm (SE)
2019: Discussant - Klasse Mackert, Akademie der Bildenden Künste in Nürnberg (DE)
2017: Lecture at Central Saint Martins in London (UK)
2017: Lecture at Craft & Ethics Conference, Röhsska Museum/HDK, Academy of Design and Crafts (SE)
2017: Keynote - Lecture at Making Out Conference, National Gallery of Victoria/RMIT University, School of Art Melbourne (AU)
2017: Guest Teaching - Material Fabulations at RMIT University, School of Art Melbourne (AU)
2017: Mentoring Project, Handshake 4 as a Mentor, with Caroline Thomas (NZ)
2017: Lecture at Sint Lucas School of Arts Antwerpen (BE)
2017: Guest Teaching - Mining Materialities with Masterclass at Sint Lucas School of Arts Antwerpen (BE)
2017: Artists Talk, Friction - Resonace at Konsthantverkarna, Stockholm (SE)
2017: Guest Teaching - Making Things Public with Bachelorclass at Sint Lucas School of Arts Antwerpen (BE)
2016: Lecture at Akademie der Bildenden Künste München (DE)
2016: Opponent of MA examination, Ädellab - Jewellery and Corpus Department, at Konstfack, Stockholm (SE)
2016: Lecture - Forum Lecture Series, at HDK, Academy of Design and Crafts (SE)
2015: Lecture at Schmucksymposium Zimmerhof 2015, Bad Rappenau (DE)
2015: Lecture - Open Seminar: Where Craft is At, Konstfack, Stockholm (SE)
2015: Appointed as Curator, MA Spring Graduation Show in Crafts, HDK, Academy of Design and Crafts (SE)
2015: Guest Teacher - MA, Ädellab - Jewellery and Corpus Department, Konstfack, Stockholm (SE)
2014: Guest Teaching - The Prefect FAKE, Klasse Mackert, Akademie der Bildenden Künste in Nürnberg (DE)
2014: Lecture at Akademie der Bildenden Künste in Nürnberg (DE)
2014: External Educational Advisor - KU Board: Study Council (Ämnesråd), Ädellab - Jewellery and Corpus Department, Konstfack, Stockholm (SE)
2014: Guest Teaching - (RE-)claiming space with MA - Craft Department at HDK, Academy of Design and Crafts (SE)
2013: Committee - BA and MA, Ädellab - Jewellery and Corpus Department, at Konstfack, Stockholm (SE)
2013: Lecture at HDK, Academy of Design and Crafts (SE)
2013: Lecture and Workshop - Ornament as Function at the Asia Society Hong Kong Center (HK)
Solo & Duo Exhibitions (selection)
2020: Animacy, at Objectspace, Auckland (NZ)
2019: World Wide Workshop: The Craft of Noticing, at RIAN Designmusuem, Falkenberg (SE)
2019: Craft Remediation, at Barklund & Co., Stockholm (SE)
2017: Gold Rush, at Kunstburo Reillplast/ with Maurer Zilioli Contemporary Arts, Munich (DE)
2017: Friction - Resonace, at Konsthantverkarna, Stockholm (SE)
2014: dé cor dé cor, Duo Exhibition with Robert Smit, at Galerie de Zaal, Delft (NL)
2014: Beyond Repair, at Bukowskis Market, Stockholm (SE)
2013: Chinoiseries, at Galerie Caroline Van Hoek, Brussels (BE)
2011: Facades, at Design Miami/Basel - Design On/Site, Basel (CH)
2011: On The Doorway, at Ventura Lambrate - Milan Salone del Mobile, Milan (IT)
Group Exhibitions (selection)
2019: MasterMakers, curated by Mark Edgoose, at RMIT Gallery, Melbourne (AU)
2019: 21 Gram, at BeCraft - World Crafts Council (WCC-BF), Mons (BE)
2019: Schmuckismus, curated by Prof. Karen Pontoppidan, at Pinakothek der Moderne, Die Neue Sammlung - Design Museum, Munich (DE)
2019: 21 Gram, curated by Ruudt Peters, at Galerie Handwerk - Handwerkskammer für München und Oberbayern, Munich (DE)
2019: Non - Stick Nostalgia: Y2K Retrofuturism in Contemporary Jewelry, at MAD - The Museum of Arts and Design (US)
2019: Group Exhibition, at Maurer Zilioli Contemporary Art, Munich (DE)
2019: Everyone Says Hello, curated by Lars Sture, at Kunstnerforbundet - Galleri for Samtidskunst, Oslo (NO)
2018: Device People, initiated by Gijs Bakker, at Droog Design, Amsterdam (NL)
2018: These are a few of her favorite things, curated by Gjertrud Steinsvåg at National Museum of Decorative Arts and Design, Trondheim (NO)
2018: 21 Gram, curated by Ruudt Peters, Hangzhou Contemporary International Jewelry and Metalwork Triennial (CN)
2018: Mari Funaki Award 2018, at Gallery Funaki, Melbourne (AU)
2018: Device People, initiated by Gijs Bakker, at ALCOVA, Salone del Mobile 2018 (IT)
2018: The Language of Things: Meaning and Value in Contemporary Jewellery, curated by Sian Van Dyk, at The Dowse Art Museum (NZ)
2018: From Walter to Valerie, at Valerie Traan Gallery (BE)
2017: Some Like it Hot, at Lethaby Gallery, Central Saint Martins, London (UK)
2016: CULT, curated by Current Obsession and Fredric Baas at Stedelijk Museum ‘s-Hertogenbosch (NL)
2016: Koru 5, at Kuopio Art Musuem (FI)
2016: Imminent Domain: Designing the Life of Tomorrow, Singapore National Design Centre (SG)
2016: (IM)PRINT, co-curated exhibition, at Easy!Upstream Contemporary Art Space, Munich (DE)
2016: SCHMUCK 2016, at IHM - Munich Trade Fair Centre (DE)
2016: Chest of Drawers, curated by Liesbeth den Besten, at Galerie Phoebus, Rotterdam (NL)
2015: Body Alchemy, curated by Ruudt Peters, Hangzhou Metal Art Triennial (CN)
2015: HAND+: Expansion & Co-existence, Cheongju International Craft Biennale (KR)
2015: Terrior, at Lloyd Hotel & Cultural Embassy, Amsterdam (NL)
2015: Koru 5, Vaasa Art Musuem (FI)
2015: Tool - Jewelry - Weapon, 8th Annual Deleuze conference, at Konstfack, Stockholm (SE)
2015: Koru 5, at Imatra Art Musuem (FI)
2015: Le Rolling Club, curated by Florence Ostende, at Saint-Étienne Design Biennale (FR)
2015: From The Coolest Corner, at Galerie Handwerk, Munich (DE)
2015: Lagomland, curated by Karen Pontoppidan at Bavarian Arts and Crafts Association, Munich (DE)
2014: Confrontations - New Traditional Jewelry, at the Museum of Arnhem & SIERAAD Art Fair (NL)
2014: A Sense of Place, at Konstfack, Stockholm (SE)
2014: From The Coolest Corner, at Röhsska Museet, Göteborg (SE)
2014: Mari Funaki Award 2014, at Gallery Funaki, Melbourne (AU)
2014: Jewellery Session 2/13, at Bezalel Academy of Arts & Design, Jerusalem (IL)
2014: From The Coolest Corner, at Estonian Museum of Applied Art and Design, Tallinn (EE)
2014: Autarchia, Austerità, Autoproduzione, at Triennale Design Museum, Milan (IT)
2014: Kosmos Kino during Schmuck 2014, at Galli Theater, Munich (DE)
2013: Bucks 'N Barter, co-curated exhibition, at SIERAAD Art Fair (NL)
2013: From The Coolest Corner, at FTCC, Design Musuem, Helsinki (FI)
2013: The Wilde Things. The so contemporary jewellery collection of Mrs. Wilde, curated by Evelien Bracke, at Z33 in Hasselt (BE)
2013: Design Miami/Basel 2013, represented by Galerie Caroline Van Hoek, Basel (CH)
2013: From The Coolest Corner, at Design Museum, Copenhagen (DK)
2013: This end up, curated by Iris Eichenberg, SNAG at Harbourfront Centre, Toronto (CAN)
2013: Dialogue, Galerie Noel Guyomarc’h and SNAG at Harbourfront Centre, Montreal/ Toronto (CAN)
2013: Tenderness 2013, curated by Glenn Adamson, at Galleri F 15, Moss (NO)
2013: Bucks 'N Barter, co-curated exhibition, during Schmuck 2013, Munich (DE)
2013: From The Coolest Corner, at Nasjonalmuseet, The National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design, Oslo (NO)
2013: The Imminent Domain, curated by Fumio Nanjo, at the Asia Society Hong Kong Center (HK)
2012: Design Miami 2012, represented by Galerie Caroline Van Hoek, Miami (US)
2012: Creative Ecologies+, curated by Amy Chow, at Hong Kong Heritage Museum (HK)
2012: PAD London, represented by Galerie Caroline Van Hoek (UK)
2012: This was 2007, during Brussels Art Days (BE)
2012: Conversation Piece - Chapter 3, at VILLA Knokke (BE)
2012: Design Miami/Basel 2012, represented by Galerie Caroline Van Hoek, Basel (CH)
2012: A Matter of Act, at Lloyd Hotel & Cultural Embassy, Amsterdam (NL)
2012: Nordic Masters 2012, organized by ArtShortcut, Helsinki (FL)
2012: The State of Things, curator by Karen Pontoppidan at Pinakothek der Moderne Museum, Munich (DE)
2012: PAD Paris, represented by Galerie Caroline Van Hoek (FR)
2011: HKYDTA, at Inno Design Tech Expo 2011 (HK)
2011: Design Miami 2011, represented by Galerie Caroline Van Hoek, Miami (USA)
2011: Open Design Italia - Selected, Bologna (IT)
2011: London Design Festival, WOODS at Gallery Libby Sellers (UK)
2011: Brussels Art Days - WOODS & GOODS at Galerie Caroline Van Hoek (BE)
2011: New Traditional Jewelry - True Colours at The Museum of Modern Art, Arnhem (NL)
2011: Amberif Design Award - Story Telling, AMBERIF 2011 Fair in Gdańsk (PL)
2011: Schmuck 2011, LOOK - curated by Ruudt Peters for Galerie Caroline Van Hoek, Munich (DE)
2011: Talente 2011, at IHM - Internationale Handwerksmesse, Munich (DE)
2010: New Traditional Jewelry - True Colours at Villa Bengel in Idar Oberstein (DE)
2010: Open Design Italia 2010, Modena (IT)
2010: B-side downtown Jewelry Art Festival at Atelier Ada Breedveld, Amsterdam (NL)
2010: New Traditional Jewelry - True Colours at SIERAAD Art Fair, Amsterdam (NL)
2010: The International Graduation Show 2010 at Galerie Marzee, Nijmegen (NL)
2010: BROOCHMANIA at Galerie Rob Koudijs, Amsterdam (NL)
2010: Spring Exhibition 2010, Konstfack, Stockholm (SE)
2010: Milan Salone del Mobile 2010, The Savage Mind, at Spazio Rossana Orlandi (IT)
2010: Creative Flow - Formex Spring 2010 (SE)
2009: Milano Salone del Mobile 2009, Collection/Selection, at Spazio Rossana Orlandi (IT)
2009: Milano Salone del Mobile 2009, Made@home by ATcasa, at Spazio Rossana Orlandi (IT)
2009: Squatting Corpus, curated by Ruudt Peters, during Schmuck 2009, Munich (DE)
2008: Milano Salone 2008, F A B R I C A - Cordially Invited Exhibition at Palazzo Borromeo (IT)
2007: Milano Salone 2007, 60th anniversary of Design Academy Eindhoven at Museo Luciano Minguzzi (IT)
2007: YOU ARE HERE, F A B R I C A at Pedras e Pessegos, Porto (PT)
2006: Kamer 465 Dutch Design Centre, Utrecht (NL)
2006: Under the Knee with NIKE at Saint-Étienne Design Biennale (FR)
2006: Tabula Rara 2006 at Spazio Rossana Orlandi (IT)
2006: Graduation Galleries at Design Academy Eindhoven (NL)
2006: De Woonbeurs Amsterdam at RAI (NL)
Public Museum Collections
Stedelijk Museum ‘s-Hertogenbosch (NL)
Pinakothek der Moderne München (DE)
Cheongju International Craft Biennale, Cheongju (KR)
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (US)
Press/Articles/Publications (selection)
2019: Schmuckismus, Exhibition Catalogue, Pinakothek der Moderne, Munich (MAR)
2019: Hallands Nyheter, Exhibition Review, Falkenberg (SEP)
2018: Obscura Magazine, Interview, Spring & Summer 2018 / VOL. 24, HK (AUG)
2018: KUNST PLUSS, Nr. 2, 2018, Norway (SEP)
2018: 21 Gram, Exhibition Catalogue (SEP)
2017: Some Like It Hot, Online Exhibition Catalogue, Central Saint Martins, UK (NOV)
2017: Contemporary Jewellery in Context, a Handshake Blueprint - Arnoldsche, (AUG)
2017: Gold Rush leporello with Maurer Zilioli Contemporary Arts, DE (MAR)
2017: Current Obsession - #6 issue - CULT, NL (SEP)
2016: Schmuck 2016 Exhibition Catalogue (MAR)
2015: Body Alchemy Exhibition Catalogue (SEP)
2015: Cheongju International Craft Biennale Exhibition Catalogue (SEP)
2015: Koru 5 Exhibition Catalogue, Finland (SEP)
2015: Le Rolling Club Exhibition Catalogue, Lyon (APR)
2015: Buck’s N Barter, Show and Tales - On Jewelry Exhibition (MAR)
2014: Current Obsession - #3 issue - Interview: The Way of The Future, NL (JUL)
2014: Autarchia, Austerità, Autoproduzione, Catalogue by Triennale Design Museum, IT (APR)
2013: The Wild Things, Exhibition Booklet, Z33, BE (NOV)
2013: Green Design Book, Braun Publishing, Stuttgart, DE (SEP)
2013: Design Miami/Basel Catalogue, Basel (JUN)
2013: PAD Paris 2013, Exhibition Catalogue, Paris (MAR)
2013: Beaux Arts, Paris (MAR)
2013: Tenderness Exhibition, Moss-avis Newspaper, Moss, NO (MAR)
2013: Tenderness 2013, Exhibition Catalogue, Moss, NO (MAR)
2013: Curve Magazine, Beirut, Lebanon (MAR)
2013: The Asia Society HK, The Imminent Domain Exhibition Catalogue, HK (MAR)
2013: SingTao Newspaper - Culture, HK (JAN)
2013: From The Coolest Corner - Nordic Jewelry, Exhibition Catalogue, Oslo, NO (JAN)
2012: Jewelbook - International Annual of Contemporary Jewel Art, NL (DEC)
2012: Handicraft magazine, CN (JUL)
2012: Cultured Magazine - Interview, Basel (JUN)
2012: tl.Mag #14: Objects of Desire, BE (MAY)
2012: Showcase 500 Rings Design Book by Lark Crafts, US (MAY)
2012: INVENTARIO #04, IT (MAR)
2012: Sueddeutsche, German Newspaper, Munich (MAR)
2012: INTERNI, IT (JAN)
2011: tl.Mag #11, BE, (SEP)
2011: DeMorgen Newspaper, BE (SEP)
2011: WOODS Catalogue, Belgium (SEP)
2011: Ming Pao Magazine, HK (JUL)
2011: Surface Magazine, US (JUN)
2011: Design Miami/Basel Catalogue, Basel (JUN)
2011: Cultured Magazine, Basel (JUN)
2011: Espaces Contemporains, Switzerland (JUN)
2011: DAMn #28 Magazine, BE (MAY)
2011: Talente 2011 Catalogue, IHM, Munich (MAY)
2010: Open Design Italia, Exhibition Catalogue, IT (NOV)
2010: ARTS THREAD Magazine - Issue 3, UK (NOV)
2010: Marzee Graduation Show, Catalogue, Galerie Marzee, NL (SEP)
2010: GUSTAV Newspaper, BE (AUG)
2010: DAGENS NYHETER. Newspaper, SE (MAY)
2010: Crafts Magazine/ Crafts Council, UK (MAR)
2009: ARCADIA, Cross-Country Style, Architecture and Design by Gestalen, Berlin (SEP)
2009: Domus Magazine, IT (JUN)
2009: AZURE Magazine, CA (JUN)
2009: INTERNI Magazine, RU (MAR)
2009: The Block Magazine, CA (MAR)
2009: MingPao Magazine, HK (FEB)
2009: Lohas Magazine, CN (FEB)
2008: The Alternative Design Book Edited by Laura Houseley, UK (SEP)
2008: Green Design Book, UK (SEP)
2008: Perspective “40 under 40” winner of Product Design, HK (AUG)
2008: I.D. The International Design Magazine, USA (JUN)
2008: New Contemporary Ceramics - Design Book, NL (JUN)
2008: CASE de Abitare Magazine, IT (FEB)
2007: Dom & Wnetrze, PO (DEC)
2007: Design Inspiration Book (OCT)
2007: revija HISE - Architecture
2007: Magazine, Slovenian (SEP)
2007: Revista Rem, SP (JUN)
2007: Vogue Fashion Magazine, KO (JUN)
2007: Glamour Fashion Magazine, IT (MAY)
2007: Dwell Architecture Magazine, US (MAY)
2007: CASE de Abitare Magazine - Tabula Rara, IT (JAN)
2007: Elle Decoration - Interview, HK (JAN)
2006: Elle Decoration - Interview, HK (DEC)
2006: JET Magazine, HK (DEC)
2006: Jetsetters Dutch Magazine - Interview, NL (DEC)
2006: De Woonbeurs Amsterdam RAI, NL (DEC)
2006: Avantgarde Fashion Magazine, NL (OCT)
2006: Design Academy Eindhoven Graduation Catalogue, NL (OCT)