Artist Biography
A go-to conceptual artist for agencies and brands like MRT Gamuda, Uber Malaysia, Tiger Beer, restaurants as well as Accounting & PR Firms in Malaysia – Nicholas Choong is no stranger to the visual arts and design world. He studied watercolors under a mentor at the age of 13 and when he was 16 he learnt Graphic Design and Photography working as a Production Assistant in the film industry.
By the time he was 19, Nicky (a moniker he goes by sometimes) was already working in the events, music & entertainment industry. The next 17 years of his life was spent working and raising a family before he began painting again in 2011. In 2014 he helped shape (and was the first artist in residence for) the sembilan Art Residency Programme in Seremban. During that time he also mentored under Wei Ling Gallery and has continued to exhibit his work in group and solo shows up till this day.
In 2015 he opened his own studio, Satu Arts - and continued to work on his craft. Nicky also dabbled in installations, performance art and collaborative mural projects. In 2016, he began his foray into video production and has since then worked as an Art Director and Creative Director in the media and corporate world. In his traditional paintings, Nicholas works in a series-based format and is known for his strong ink and line work.
In 2018, Nicholas joined the esteemed Rimbun Dahan Arts Residency as a 3-month Southeast Asian Artist in Residence from February - April 2018 which culminated in his cityscape works - showing at the National Art Gallery of Malaysia. In 2020, Choong launched his second studio in Petaling Jaya. His works are now being represented by some of the top galleries in Malaysia.
A go-to conceptual artist for agencies and brands like MRT Gamuda, Uber Malaysia, Tiger Beer, restaurants as well as Accounting & PR Firms in Malaysia – Nicholas Choong is no stranger to the visual arts and design world. He studied watercolors under a mentor at the age of 13 and when he was 16 he learnt Graphic Design and Photography working as a Production Assistant in the film industry.
By the time he was 19, Nicky (a moniker he goes by sometimes) was already working in the events, music & entertainment industry. The next 17 years of his life was spent working and raising a family before he began painting again in 2011. In 2014 he helped shape (and was the first artist in residence for) the sembilan Art Residency Programme in Seremban. During that time he also mentored under Wei Ling Gallery and has continued to exhibit his work in group and solo shows up till this day.
In 2015 he opened his own studio, Satu Arts - and continued to work on his craft. Nicky also dabbled in installations, performance art and collaborative mural projects. In 2016, he began his foray into video production and has since then worked as an Art Director and Creative Director in the media and corporate world. In his traditional paintings, Nicholas works in a series-based format and is known for his strong ink and line work.
In 2018, Nicholas joined the esteemed Rimbun Dahan Arts Residency as a 3-month Southeast Asian Artist in Residence from February - April 2018 which culminated in his cityscape works - showing at the National Art Gallery of Malaysia. In 2020, Choong launched his second studio in Petaling Jaya. His works are now being represented by some of the top galleries in Malaysia.
Solo Exhibitions
2022 Twilight, Art WeMe Contemporary Gallery, Pavilion KL
2021 Nocturne, Art WeMe Contemporary Gallery, Artsy Online
2021 Surface Tension, G13 Gallery, Malaysia
2020 A Rip in The Fabric of Time, The Art People Gallery / Artsy / Artsteps, Virtual + Online
2019 Particolare, Art WeMe Contemporary Gallery, Pavilion KL
2016 RETROSPEKTIV, Port Commune PJ
2015 Solo Exhibition for Rotary Club Kota Kinabalu South (RCKKS) Gala Charity Dinner, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah
2014 SOLO (Studies of Loved Objects), Atelier Art Space, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia
2011 First Solo Exhibition, Epicenter Art Gallery, Malaysia
2022 Twilight, Art WeMe Contemporary Gallery, Pavilion KL
2021 Nocturne, Art WeMe Contemporary Gallery, Artsy Online
2021 Surface Tension, G13 Gallery, Malaysia
2020 A Rip in The Fabric of Time, The Art People Gallery / Artsy / Artsteps, Virtual + Online
2019 Particolare, Art WeMe Contemporary Gallery, Pavilion KL
2016 RETROSPEKTIV, Port Commune PJ
2015 Solo Exhibition for Rotary Club Kota Kinabalu South (RCKKS) Gala Charity Dinner, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah
2014 SOLO (Studies of Loved Objects), Atelier Art Space, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia
2011 First Solo Exhibition, Epicenter Art Gallery, Malaysia
Art Fairs
2023 Affordable Art Fair Singapore, Art WeMe Contemporary Gallery
2022 One Art Taipei, Taiwan, Art WeMe Contemporary Gallery
2022 Affordable Art Fair Singapore, Art WeMe Contemporary Gallery
2022 CIMB Artober Hotel Art Fair, Elements KL, Art WeMe Contemporary Gallery
2022 Art For All : Art Gala by Art Expo Malaysia, GMBB KL, Art WeMe Contemporary Gallery
2021 MAEF (Malaysia Art Ecosystem Festival), World Trade Center KL, TAPG
2021 Art is Fair, Fahrenheit 88, KL
2021 CIMB Artober 2021 Hotel Art Fair, Westin KL, Art WeMe Contemporary Gallery
2021 ASYAAF (Hidden Artists Festival), Seoul, South Korea, Gallery LVS
2021 Art Moments Jakarta, G13 Gallery, Online
2020 'Discovering Malaysia Contemporary Art' : The Hamptons Virtual Art Fair, TAPG, Virtual + Online
2015 Young Art Taipei, Taiwan, Artemis Art
2023 Affordable Art Fair Singapore, Art WeMe Contemporary Gallery
2022 One Art Taipei, Taiwan, Art WeMe Contemporary Gallery
2022 Affordable Art Fair Singapore, Art WeMe Contemporary Gallery
2022 CIMB Artober Hotel Art Fair, Elements KL, Art WeMe Contemporary Gallery
2022 Art For All : Art Gala by Art Expo Malaysia, GMBB KL, Art WeMe Contemporary Gallery
2021 MAEF (Malaysia Art Ecosystem Festival), World Trade Center KL, TAPG
2021 Art is Fair, Fahrenheit 88, KL
2021 CIMB Artober 2021 Hotel Art Fair, Westin KL, Art WeMe Contemporary Gallery
2021 ASYAAF (Hidden Artists Festival), Seoul, South Korea, Gallery LVS
2021 Art Moments Jakarta, G13 Gallery, Online
2020 'Discovering Malaysia Contemporary Art' : The Hamptons Virtual Art Fair, TAPG, Virtual + Online
2015 Young Art Taipei, Taiwan, Artemis Art
Group Exhibitions
2023
'My Malaysia : A Special Kind of Wonderful', Balai Seni Maybank, KL
'Spice Select', Nadine Fine Art PJ
'Spice Select', Nadine Fine Art PJ
2022
'All Out 2022', Art WeMe Contemporary Gallery, GMBB KL
'Urban Vibes', Art WeMe Contemporary Gallery, Online
'Urban Vibes', Art WeMe Contemporary Gallery, Online
2021
'KLWKND : Art In The City 2021', ArtVoice Gallery, KL
'LangUR : Building Bridges Between Our Worlds', Penang State Museum & Gallery
'Ameliorate' Sustainable Environmental Arts Assemble (SEAA), Galeri Prima, KL
'Get-Go', K5 Gallery, Bukit Jalil KL
'Pure Painting 2', Maybank Gallery of Art, Online
'Locals Only! 2021', Taksu Gallery, Kuala Lumpur
'Abstracted Reality', TAPG, Virtual + Online
'LangUR : Building Bridges Between Our Worlds', Penang State Museum & Gallery
'Ameliorate' Sustainable Environmental Arts Assemble (SEAA), Galeri Prima, KL
'Get-Go', K5 Gallery, Bukit Jalil KL
'Pure Painting 2', Maybank Gallery of Art, Online
'Locals Only! 2021', Taksu Gallery, Kuala Lumpur
'Abstracted Reality', TAPG, Virtual + Online
2020
'Survival', KL City Art Gallery, KL
'Traversing 175' (The New Straits Times 175th Anniversary), Galeri Prima, KL
'Unity Canvas' installation at Pavilion KL, Art WeMe Contemporary Gallery KL
'Splendid Isolation', Nadine Fine Art, PJ
'Stay Home', KL City Art Gallery, Online
'Art Is Around Us', Art WeMe Contemporary Gallery, Artsy Online
'Mending Fence : Tales of an Isolation', G13 Gallery, PJ
'Spice Select', Nadine Fine Art PJ
'Traversing 175' (The New Straits Times 175th Anniversary), Galeri Prima, KL
'Unity Canvas' installation at Pavilion KL, Art WeMe Contemporary Gallery KL
'Splendid Isolation', Nadine Fine Art, PJ
'Stay Home', KL City Art Gallery, Online
'Art Is Around Us', Art WeMe Contemporary Gallery, Artsy Online
'Mending Fence : Tales of an Isolation', G13 Gallery, PJ
'Spice Select', Nadine Fine Art PJ
2019
'Holiday Edition 2019', Zhan, PJ
UOB Painting of the Year 2019 - Finalist
'Art Invasion', Nadine Fine Art, PJ
'STORIES', The Art People Gallery, Hong Kong
'Art For All' (Charity Group Show), HELP International School, PJ
'Infinity City' (2 man show), Nadine Fine Art PJ
'Picturesque Time' : Malaysian Artists Group Show, Art WeMe Contemporary Gallery, Pavilion KL
SH/FT - A Contemporary Visual Art Exhibition, Cendana, Black Box, Publika KL
'Painting and Empathy', Nadine Fine Art PJ
'A Largeness of Contemplation', Zhan PJ
'ART4SMALL', Balai Seni Maybank, Menara Maybank, KL
'Locals Only! 2019', Taksu Gallery, Kuala Lumpur
UOB Painting of the Year 2019 - Finalist
'Art Invasion', Nadine Fine Art, PJ
'STORIES', The Art People Gallery, Hong Kong
'Art For All' (Charity Group Show), HELP International School, PJ
'Infinity City' (2 man show), Nadine Fine Art PJ
'Picturesque Time' : Malaysian Artists Group Show, Art WeMe Contemporary Gallery, Pavilion KL
SH/FT - A Contemporary Visual Art Exhibition, Cendana, Black Box, Publika KL
'Painting and Empathy', Nadine Fine Art PJ
'A Largeness of Contemplation', Zhan PJ
'ART4SMALL', Balai Seni Maybank, Menara Maybank, KL
'Locals Only! 2019', Taksu Gallery, Kuala Lumpur
2018
GWKL : Gallery Weekend Kuala Lumpur 2018, Pelita Hati, Artsy
'LIKU - LIKU' (A two person show), Creative Space, National Art Gallery of Malaysia, KL
'MORPHOSIS', Galeri Prima, Bangsar KL
'Pameran 50-50', Masa Galeri, M Suites Hotel, Johor Bahru
Appointed Judge for Art Painting Category, Petron Vision National Art Competition 2018
Appointed Mural Artist for KVMRT - Mural @ Entrance A, Pasar Seni MRT Station KL
Sembilan Art Residency Exhibition, K7 Melaka in conjunction with the Melaka Festival 2018
'Harapan : An Exhibition on GE14 and Malaysian Politics', L'Atelier Rouge (The Red Studio), Jaya One,PJ
Resident Artist - Southeast Asian Art Residency (February - April), Rimbun Dahan, Kuang
'LIKU - LIKU' (A two person show), Creative Space, National Art Gallery of Malaysia, KL
'MORPHOSIS', Galeri Prima, Bangsar KL
'Pameran 50-50', Masa Galeri, M Suites Hotel, Johor Bahru
Appointed Judge for Art Painting Category, Petron Vision National Art Competition 2018
Appointed Mural Artist for KVMRT - Mural @ Entrance A, Pasar Seni MRT Station KL
Sembilan Art Residency Exhibition, K7 Melaka in conjunction with the Melaka Festival 2018
'Harapan : An Exhibition on GE14 and Malaysian Politics', L'Atelier Rouge (The Red Studio), Jaya One,PJ
Resident Artist - Southeast Asian Art Residency (February - April), Rimbun Dahan, Kuang
2017
'Nada Rimba II', L'Atelier Rouge (The Red Studio), Jaya One,PJ
'TEXTURES' , L'Atelier Rouge (The Red Studio), Jaya One,PJ
'JOURNEY' (sembilan Art Residency Inaugural Group Show), Hotel Seri Pacific KL
'2nd Wave', TAPG Art Gallery, Klang, Selangor
'S I M U L A', B.A.G. Damansara Perdana, PJ
'TEXTURES' , L'Atelier Rouge (The Red Studio), Jaya One,PJ
'JOURNEY' (sembilan Art Residency Inaugural Group Show), Hotel Seri Pacific KL
'2nd Wave', TAPG Art Gallery, Klang, Selangor
'S I M U L A', B.A.G. Damansara Perdana, PJ
2016
'Lukis', Ruang Sementara, Artrow, Publika KL
Art Facilitator for WeCareJourney & L'Oreal Malaysia's #lorealcitizenday, PJ Spastic Centre
Sketching & Watercolor Demo and Workshop, Port Commune PJ
Artist Workshop for L45 & sembilan Art Residency, L45 Bangsar Kuala Lumpur
Art Facilitator for WeCareJourney & L'Oreal Malaysia's #lorealcitizenday, PJ Spastic Centre
Sketching & Watercolor Demo and Workshop, Port Commune PJ
Artist Workshop for L45 & sembilan Art Residency, L45 Bangsar Kuala Lumpur
2015
'Nada Rimba', Atelier Art Space Petaling Jaya
SAS Year-End Celebration (Charity Auction) for OiC : The Cambodia Project!, Ekkamai Kuala Lumpur
'The Artist Is Present' performance at sembilan Art Residency's End of Year Wrap up Party, Awegallery Petaling Jaya
Appointed Key Visual Artist for Tiger Beer Malaysia's TRANSLATE 2015
Flow x Symmetry - The Inaugural Exhibition for sembilan Art Residency, Alliance Francaise Kuala Lumpur
SAS Year-End Celebration (Charity Auction) for OiC : The Cambodia Project!, Ekkamai Kuala Lumpur
'The Artist Is Present' performance at sembilan Art Residency's End of Year Wrap up Party, Awegallery Petaling Jaya
Appointed Key Visual Artist for Tiger Beer Malaysia's TRANSLATE 2015
Flow x Symmetry - The Inaugural Exhibition for sembilan Art Residency, Alliance Francaise Kuala Lumpur
2014
Resident Artist (October - December) sembilan Art Residency, Seremban
'Everything Meets Here - A Debut Art Exhibition', Anak Bunga Emas Gallery, Kuala Lumpur
'CONJOIN: SPONTANEOUS #1', Artemis Art, Kuala Lumpur
'Everything Meets Here - A Debut Art Exhibition', Anak Bunga Emas Gallery, Kuala Lumpur
'CONJOIN: SPONTANEOUS #1', Artemis Art, Kuala Lumpur
2013
Art For Grabs, 6th Kuala Lumpur Alternative Bookfest (KLAB), The Annexe Gallery, Central Market, Kuala Lumpur
2012
'Nostalgia', Pelita Hati Gallery of Art, Kuala Lumpur