• Tong kunniao 童昆鸟

    b.1990 Changsha, Hunan Province, China

    Tong Kunniao, born in 1990 in Changsha, Hunan Province, received his BFA from No.3 Studio, Department of Sculpture at the Central Academy of Fine Arts in 2015. In 2016, he went to graduate school and dropped out in the same year. He currently lives and works in Beijing.

    Tong Kunniao works across installation, performance, video, sculpture, and painting. He is adept at using “excess products” generated by the modern world—a perpetual waste-making factory, and “leftovers” that have been found in resale shops, the flea markets or on the streets. He concerns about how the

    complex social structure has determined our social status and eaten up our individual identities. By decomposing ready-made objects and reassembling them in tandem or keeping them perfectly in balance, Tong aims to demonstrate the individual consciousness (the free spirit) behind the objects as well as the multiplicity and fragility of the system. In an era when commodity fetishism and symbol consumption are prevalent, and information is overloaded, Tong’s work extends beyond formal boundaries of reconstruction and presents it in a quirky and seemly absurd manner.

  • Solo Exhibitions

    2025

    Roundworm Delights in the Landscape, WD Art Space, Shanghai, China

    After the Waves and the Dusk, Hua International, Berlin, Germany

    Tong Kunniao: Sacred Above Radiant Below, Jinghope Art Center, Sanya, China

    2024

    Tong Kunniao Solo Exhibition: Machine's Dialogue, LAN Gallery, Shenzhen, China

    2023

    Tong Kunniao: Wilted Flowers, the Bad Bird and Q, PIFO Gallery, Beijing, China

    Tong Kunniao: Fire walk With Eggs, Caijin Space, Beijing, China

    2022

    Wiltopia, Hua International, Berlin, Germany

    The Myth of Human Nature, Setareh Gallery, Düsseldorf, Germany

    2021

    Double Bring a Mellow Sweetness, HARMAY, Beijing, China

    Being Together, SKP - S, Beijing, China

    Golden Dystopia on Three Millimeters, Cc Foundation, Shanghai, China

    2020

    Just Stay in the Cold, Hua International, Berlin, Germany

    NIAO x KUN x TONG, Jupiter Museum, Shenzhen, China

    2019

    I don’t MISS u, XPM, Changsha, China

    2018

    Birdindefinite, MIFA 1862, Shanghai, China

    2017

    When Dog’s Mouth Spits Ivory, Setareh Gallery, Düsseldorf, Germany

    Dans Le Ventre Du Pigenon, Il Y A Non Seulement Du Caca, Mais Du Pain Aussi, Liusa Wang Gallery, Paris, France

    2016

    Why Don’t You Eat Stinky Tofu?, Nicodim Gallery, Los Angeles, USA

    Dreaming a Baton the Floor, Platform China Contemporary Art Institute, Beijing, China

    2015

    Tong Kunniao, Platform China Contemporary Art Institute, Beijing, China

    Group Exhibitions

    2025

    Cosmic Alignment: 2025 Jincheng’s Contemporary Visions of Historic Architecture, Urban Experience Center, Jincheng, China

    Perpetual Summer, RAY Gallery, Hangzhou, China

    Find me if you want me in the garden, Hua International, Berlin, Germany

    Fragments of Time and Gestures of Future, Sixi Museum, Nanjing, China

    The Rite of Spring, Nan Ke Gallery, Shanghai, China

    Left the Group Chat, Areté Space, Beijing, China

    2024

    Reconstructing Visions, Shijiazhuang Art Museum & Academy, Shijiazhuang, China

    The Age of Human Wisdom: The 3th Jinan International Biennale, Shandong Art Museum & Jinan Art Museum, Jinan, China

    The Song of the Earth, HUA International, Beijing, China

    The Shadow of Reading: Art in the Pages, Hanmo S Gallery, Beijing, China

    Exposition d’art France- Chine, Art Museum of Sichuan Fine Arts Institute, Chongqing, China

    PDF_2024, Hanmo S Gallery, Beijing, China

    An Future Anthropogene, Chongqing Times Art Museum, Chongqing, China

    LISTING Ⅱ, PIFO Gallery, Beijing, China

    Semi-Manual Era: The Dancing Floor of the World, Gravity Art Museum, Beijing, China

    Era of Encore, Times Art Museum, Beijing, China

    the Soil Collection: The Show Must Go On, Simple One, Beijing, China

    Groudless Factory & Tong Gallery+Projects, Beijing, China

    A Constellation of Cities: Contemporary Art and Experiment in Southern China and Beyond, Guangdong Museum of Art (BAIETAN), Guangzhou, China

    Presence: WSK Art Support Program and the 6th China Contemporary Young Artists Nomination Exhibition, Shandong Art Museum, Jinan, China

    2024 Dianchi Art Season, Dianchi, China

    2023

    Magical Modern, Shanghai Gallery of Art, Shanghai, China

    Idea Transfer·The 1st – 2023 3th Qingdao International Art Exhibition, Exit V Art Museum, Qingdao, China

    Soul Art Festival, Soul Art Center, Beijing, China

    Sailing: Contemporary Echo of Maritime Silk Road, Zhangjiagang Art Museum, Zhangjiagang, China

    Cangjie Garden Art Festival, Yanload Cangjie Former Residence Garden, Suzhou, China

    The Exhibition of Annual of Contemporary Art of China Shanghai 2022, Shanghai Doland Museum of Modern Art, Shanghai, China

    Swirl: The 8th Stars Plan Young Artists Research Exhibition, Wuhan Art Museum (Qintai), Wuhan, China

    Seeking the City: 2023 Datong Contemporary Art Season, Datong Ancient City, Taiping Tower South, DongnanYi Historical and Cultural District, Datong,

    China

    Thinking with the Senses: First Exhibition of the Opening of Dacheng Art Museum, Dacheng Art Museum, Changzhou, China

    The Sea of Time: Opening Exhibition of Gravity Art Museum, Gravity Art Museum,Beijing, China

    Evolution: Singularity, Nan Ke Gallery, Shanghai, China

    Romancing Dissent, Sixi Museum, Nanjing, China

    2022

    Emotion and Universe, Harvest Moon Art Centre, Chengdu, China

    Artist’s Game, OCAT Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China

    Sailing: The First TAG New Contemporary Art Exhibition, TAG Art Museum, Qingdao, China

    X Mobile Museum, X Museum, Beijing, China

    Alice in Wonderland, 69 Art Campus, Beijing, China

    Green Go Home, Hua International, Beijing, China

    The Second Public Art Exhibition Nan Hai, Foshan, China

    2021

    The Exhibition of Annul of Contemporary Art of China Shanghai 2020, Shanghai Duolun Museum of Modern Art, Shanghai, China

    PDF, TRIUMPH Gallery, Beijing, China

    Young Chinese Artist of The Year 2020-2021-SPECTACLES, 021 Shanghai, Shanghai, China

    Topo- Urban-ism, Beigou Village Wa Museum, Beijing, China

    I Recognized the World: Born in the 80s and 90s, MOCA Yinchuan, Yinchuan, China

    I Am the Nature -on Vulnerability, Survival in A Society at Risk, 26th Rohkunstbau, Schloss Lieberose, Brandenburg, Germany

    The Second K60 Berlin, Wilhelm Hallen, Berlin, Germany

    Futurism of the Past, Beijing Contemporary Art Expo: STORY, Beijing Exhibition Center, Beijing, China

    Home-Coming Isler: Those Visible and Invisible, YUAN Art Museum, Chongqing, China

    2020

    Wandering along the Sea, LEVANTART, Shanghai, China

    Touching Feeling, Hua International, Beijing, China

    When Speed Become Form–Live in Your Screen, Wind H, Beijing, China

    Those Who See and Know All, Are All and Can Do All., Gallery Weekend Beijing 2020 Up & ComingSector, 798 Art Center, Beijing, China

    2019

    Andy’s Joke, AC gallery, Beijing, China

    A Confrontation of Ideals, Anren Biennale, Chendu, China

    Made in Illusion, Times Art Museum, Beijing, China

    Progress Every Day, Annual Nomination Exhibition 2019, Zhuzhong Art Museum, Beijing, China

    Summer Art Fair, Beijing Fun, Beijing, China

    Re Feng, PBS Art Center, Beijing, China

    To Youth, Platform China Contemporary Art Institute, Beijing, China

    2018

    Dionysian Super-X, Chi K11 Art Space, Guangzhou, China

    The Exhibition of Annul of Contemporary Art of China, Beijing Minsheng Art Museum, Beijing, China

    Re-Set, Power Long Museum, Shanghai, China

    Art Trash, Strawberry Music Festival, Beijing, China

    Know How, C Space, Beijing, China

    After Sun Set, Liusa Wang Gallery, Paris, France

    2017

    Today – Wall Force, Today Art Museum, Beijing, China

    On the Road, Chinese Young Artists Nomination Exhibition, Guan Shanyue Art Museum, Shenzhen, China

    Very Sustainable – Environmental Revelation, MOCA Yinchuan, Yinchuan, China

    Rhapsody in Lines, Times Art Museum, Beijing, China

    Ballade – Animanix Biennale, Macao Museum of Art, Macao, China

    The Overaged, OCT Art Center, Chengdu, China

    Outliers – Traversing a Time of Anxiety, White Box Art Center, Beijing, China

    Reversal of Ritual, Desa Gallery, Hong Kong, China

    2016

    Over Pop, Yuz Art Museum, Shanghai, China

    Art Auto, Platform China Contemporary Art Institute, Beijing, China

    Art Zhengzhou: Global China Contemporary Art Exhibition, Zhengzhou, China

    2015

    Relocation Jubilee, Platform China Contemporary Art Institute, Beijing, China

    Public Collections

    China Cc Foundation, Shanghai

    Sixi Museum, Nanjing

    X Museum, Beijing

    Jupiter Museum, Shenzhen

    XPM, Changsha

    Publications

    2021

    Tong Kunniao, Hua International, Beijing, China

    2020

    Just Stay in the Cold, Hua International, Beijing, China

    2017

    Dans Le Ventre Du Pigenon, Il Y A Non Seulement Du Caca, Mais Du Pain Aussi, Liusa Wang Gallery, Paris, France

    2016

    Why Don’t You Eat Stinky Tofu?, Nicodim Gallery, Los Angeles, USA

    2015

    Tong Kunniao, Platform China Contemporary Art Institute, Beijing, China

  • | RELATED EXHIBITIONS |

     

    Section image

    Tong Kunniao Solo Exhibition:

    Machine's Dialogue

    2024.09.27 - 2024.11.20