Von Wong’s works bear a distinctive hallmark that makes them instantly recognisable: his photographs capture giant installations that the artist constructs with the aim of raising awareness. His background in engineering has enabled him to creatively realise his gigantic installations, in which the hallmark of hyperrealism is ever-present. Von Wong uses his artistic flair to raise public awareness of the serious problems that pollution is causing to the planet, and consequently to humanity.

He uses excess — of materials, scale, and imagery — as a strategy for communication and protest. He starts with objective statistical data to, through hyper-realistic and even surrealistic imagery, grab people’s attention and make them reflect on the state of the planet, inspiring them to take action. He uses recycled and reused materials to build installations that highlight issues such as plastic pollution in the oceans, electronic waste, the environmental impact of the fashion industry, and other forms of environmental damage.

Over the past five years, Von Wong and his team have created videos, experiences and art installations with communities and organisations around the world to address these issues. Excessive colour, scale and noise are hallmarks

of the photographer’s work, which seeks not only to denounce but to summon and engage the viewer to go beyond merely looking and take action. The videos documenting the creative process have over 100 million views.

His work has been presented at the World Economic Forum, the United Nations and Art Basel, amongst others. The installation of a giant tap spewing thousands of plastic bottles has toured the world, having been in Lisbon during the 2022 Oceans Conference. Von Wong was one of the speakers at the 2018 edition of the Exodus Aveiro Fest.

By bringing Von Wong’s work to MIRA Galerias, the aim was to address the environmental issue from a perspective where visual art, environmental activism and media spectacle intersect. His website opens with the following sentence, which encapsulates the intent behind his work: ‘I am an artist focused on amplifying positive impact. My mission is to help make that positive impact unforgettable.’

This exhibition is the result of a partnership between MIRA Galerias | MIRA FORUM and Gravitymotion Cultural Association, organisers of the Exodus Aveiro Fest.

This exhibition is part of the project “(In)visibilities and Drifts”

Support: dgARTES

MIRA Galerias Management: Manuela Matos Monteiro, João Lafuente

Communications: Beatriz Vital, Manuela Matos Monteiro

Benjamin Von Wong is a Canadian visual artist, photographer and environmental activist. He is renowned for his installations that address environmental issues. The subject matter and visual impact of his works have a powerful effect on viewers.

Born in Toronto in 1986, the son of Chinese-Malaysian immigrants, Von Wong graduated in Mining Engineering from McGill University in 2007. He practised as an engineer but, from 2007, began to take an interest in photography, which led him, in 2012, to devote himself entirely to this art form.

Currently, photography serves as the medium through which he showcases his art installations. He is increasingly investing in these projects with the aim of mobilising people for the cause of preserving the planet and the fight for a more sustainable future.

vonwong.com | @vonwong