Tseng Kwong Chi
b. 1950, Hong Kong | d. 1990
New York, New York, 1979 (Veterans Day Parade) from the East Meets West self-portrait series: 1979-1989, 1979
Gelatin silver print
Courtesy Muna Tseng Dance Projects Inc.

Tseng Kwong Chi was part of the East Village scene, where he worked alongside artists like Keith Haring and Kenny Scharf. Notably, Tseng helped to photograph many of Haring’s works across New York City. Tseng’s own practice reflected on his experiences as a disaporic artist. Born in Hong Kong, Tseng’s family moved to Canada when he was a teenager. As a student, Tseng took up photography, where he later saw the potentials of the medium as an avenue for performative identity formation. In his East Meets West series, Tseng wore a Mao suit and sunglasses and photographed himself at famous tourist sites across the United States, and later, the world. Tseng was able to capture the photos via an often-visible chord, resulting in some of the first “selfies.”