Born in Hong Kong in 1977, Kurt Tong was originally trained as a health visitor at the University of Liverpool. He has worked and traveled extensively across Europe, the Americas and Asia. In 1999, Kurt co-founded Prema Vasam, a charitable home for disabled and disadvantaged children in Chennai, South India.
Kurt became a full-time photographer in 2003. He was the winner of the Luis Valtuena International Humanitarian Photography Award and the City of Port St. Elpidio Prize with his first picture story documenting the ill treatment of disabled children in India. He worked for many other NGOs and covered stories from Female Infanticide to ballroom dancers. He gained a Masters in documentary photography at the London College of Communications in 2006 and began working on much more personal projects. He has since been chosen as the winner of Photograph.Book.Now competition, the Hey, Hot Shot! competition and the prestigious Jerwood Photography Award.
Kurt’s photographs have been widely published and exhibited around the world at venues including: The Royal Academy, Impressions Gallery, Abbaye de Neumunster, Fotofest in Houston and upcoming shows solo shows at Photofusion and Compton Verney.
CV
Born in Hong Kong, 1977
2006-07MA Photojournalism, London College of Communication
2000-01BN (Hons) Bachelor of Nursing & (RHV) Health Visitor, University of Liverpool
1997-00(RN) Registered Nurse, University of Liverpool
Solo Exhibitions
2010 In Case it Rains in Heaven, Compton Verney, Warwickshire, UK
Memories, Dreams; Interrupted, Photofusion, London, UK Farewell in Labrador/People’s Park, Light House, Wolverhampton, UK2006 Bitter Masala, Church of Nazzareno Civitavecchia, Rome
Selected Group Exhibitions
2010 Bieler Fototage, Biel, Switzerland.
Money to Burn, Kemistry Gallery, London, UK Chronique Hong Kongaises, Diorama Rue Raspail, Arles, France2009 Christmas Show, Little Black Gallery, Chelsea, London, UK
Fotofest International Discoveries II, Vine Street Studio, Houston, USA Crane Kalman Gallery, Brighton, UK Hey Hot Shot Showcase, Jen Bekman Gallery, New York, USA Summer Show, Host Gallery, London, UK Summer Exhibition, Royal Academy, London, UK 152nd International Print Exhibition, Allen & Overy, London, UK Aberystwyth Arts Centre, Aberystwyth, Wales Impressions Gallery, Bradford, UK2008 Jerwood Photography Awards Winners Exhibition 2008
Jerwood Space, London AOP Best of the Awards Show, AOP Gallery, London Summer Show, Host Gallery, London The Butterfly Effect, 23rd Biannual ALNAP Meeting, Madrid, Spain2007 Photo Meeting, Abbaye de Neumunster, Luxembourg
Retrospective Exhibition, French Institute, Edinburgh2006 Chinese Photographers’ Association, Chengdu, China
Ian Parry Scholarship Show, Getty Images Gallery, London2005 Luis Valtuena International Humanitarian Photography Award Exhibition Including La Casa Encendida, Madrid, The Frontline Club, London
Hope for Homes, Hoopers Gallery, LondonAwards
2010 Hey Hot Shot! Ne Plus Ultras
Magenta Foundation, Flash Forward, UK WinnerSelected Publications
2010 Insight Magazine, Issue 4, Environment
Photographie, Die Papiermodelle, March