Artist

Richard Fung

Richard Fung is an artist and writer born in Trinidad and based in Toronto.

His work comprises challenging videos on subjects ranging from the role of the Asian male in gay pornography to colonialism, immigration, racism, homophobia, AIDS, justice in Israel/Palestine, and his own family history. His single-channel and installation works, which include Orientations: Lesbian and Gay Asians (1984) and its redux Re:Orientations (2016), My Mother’s Place (1990), Sea in the Blood (2000), Jehad in Motion (2007), Dal Puri Diaspora (2012) and Nang by Nang (2018), have been widely screened and collected internationally, and have been broadcast in Canada, the United States, and Trinidad and Tobago.

Richard’s essays have been published in numerous journals and anthologies and he is the co-author with Monika Kin Gagnon of
13: Conversations on Art and Cultural Race Politics (2002), later updated and translated into French. He was a Rockefeller Fellow at New York University and has received the Bell Canada Award for outstanding achievement in video art, the Toronto Arts Award for Media Art, the Kessler Award from CLAGS: Center for LGBTQ Studies at the City University of New York for a substantive body of work that has had a significant influence on the field of LGBTQ Studies and the Bonham Centre Award from Sexual Diversity Studies at the University of Toronto for distinguished contribution to the public understanding of sexual diversity in Canada.

Richard is Professor Emeritus in the Faculty of Art at OCAD University.

Artist Code: 183

Videography

The Enigma of Harold Sonny Ladoo

2024, 84:00 minutes, colour, English (with English Closed Captions or French subtitles)

Nang by Nang

2018, 40:18 minutes, colour, English (available with English subtitles or English Closed Captions)

Re:Orientations

2016, 68:00 minutes, colour, English, English closed captions, and French subtitles available

Dal Puri Diaspora

2012, 80:25 minutes, colour, English, Bhojpuri (also w English s/t or Mandarin s/t)

Rex vs. Singh

2009, 29:38 minutes, colour, English

Jehad in Motion (2 Channel Installation)

2007, 25:47 minutes, English (available with English subtitles)

Uncomfortable: The Art of Christopher Cozier

2005, 47:38 minutes, colour, English

Islands

2002, 08:45 minutes, colour, English

Sea in the Blood

2000, 26:00 minutes, colour, English

School Fag

1998, 16:35 minutes, colour, English

Dirty Laundry

1996, 30:30 minutes, colour, English

Out of the Blue

1991, 28:00 minutes, colour, English

Fighting Chance

1990, 31:00 minutes, colour, English

Steam Clean

1990, 03:30 minutes, colour, subtitled multi-lingual

My Mother's Place

1990, 49:00 minutes, colour, English

Safe Place - A Videotape for Refugee Rights in Canada

1989, 32:00 minutes, colour, English - Master 2024-02-16

The Way To My Father's Village

1988, 38:00 minutes, colour, English

Chinese Characters

1986, 20:30 minutes, colour, English with closed captions

Orientations: Lesbian & Gay Asians

1985, 56:00 minutes, colour, English (available with English Closed Captions

Critical Writing

Toronto Living with Aids
by Ryan Conrad. Toronto: Public Books, 2024.
Calling on Queer Asians
by Liz Kim. Asian Diasporic Visual Cultures and The Americas, May 2023, v. 9, no. 1 - 2. Leiden: Brill, 2023.
Super Queeroes
by Peter Knegt et al. CBC ARTS, 2019.
Ruling Out Art: Media Art Meets Law in Ontario's Censor Wars
by Taryn Sirove. Vacouver: UBC Press, 2019.
ReOrientations: A Retrospective on the Works of Richard Fung
by Takashi Fujitani. Toronto: Asian Institute, University of Toronto, 2013.
Explosion in the Machine: Essays and Documents on Toronto Artists'...
by Chris Gehman. Toronto: Images Festival, 2013.
(Re)Circulating Foreign Bodies: Richard Fung's Sea in the Blood
by Katherine Lawless. Feminist Media Studies, 2012, v. 12, no. 1.
Geopolitics & The Videos of b.h.Yael
by Richard Fung. Fierce: Women's Hot Blooded Film and Video, Mar. 10, 2010. Hamilton: McMaster Museum of Art, 2010.
Meandering Currents
by Richard Fung. South Asian Visual Arts Centre, 2010.
The Toronto Declaration: No Celebration of Occupation: An open...
by Udi Aloni et al. Toronto Declaration: No Celebration of Occupation, Sept. 9, 2009.
Experimental Documentary Questionnaire/Responses
by Lucas Hilderbrand and Lynne Sachs. Millennium Film Journal, Spring 2009, no. 51.
Millennium Survey: Richard Fung
by Fung Richard. Millennium Film Journal, Spring/Summer 2009, no. 51.
Queer Kinship and Ambivalence
by Julianne Pidduck. GLQ: A Journal of Lesbian and Gay Studies, 2009, v. 15, no. 3. Duke University Press, 2009.
The Enchantments of Richard Fung's Unsettling Landscapes: (after...
by Monika Kim Gagnon. Richard Fung: Landscapes, 2008. Hamilton: McMaster Museum of Art, 2008.
Practical Dreamers: Conversations with Movie Artists
by Mike Hoolboom. Coach House Books, 2008.
Practical Dreamers: Conversations with Movie Artists
by Mike Hoolboom. Toronto: Coach House Books, 2008.
Then + Then Again: Talking with Clive Robertson about artist-run...
by Vera Frenkel. Fuse, July 2007, v. 30, no. 3.
The Reel Deal: Talking with Clive Robertson about artist-run culture
by Gloria Kim. FILMPRINT - The magazine of Independent Filmmakers of Toronto, Jan. 2007, v. 27, no. 1.
Praxis, Praxis, Praxis: Richard Fung's active illuminated histories
by Brian McCormick. Gay City News, Jan. 18, 2007.
Reel Asian: Asian Canada on Screen
by Elaine Chang. Toronto: Coach House Books, 2007.
The Romance of Transgression in Canada: Queering Sexualities,...
by Thomas Waugh. Montreal and Kingston: McGill-Queen's University Press, 2006.
Fung makes us Uncomfortable: Uncomfortable: The art of Christopher...
by Glenn Sumi. Now, Jan. 19, 2006, v. 25, no. 21.
The Power of Light: aluCine 7th Toronto Latin@ Media Festival's...
by Richard Fung. Fuse, 2006, v. 29, no. 3.
Toronto Video: Challenging forms, channelling change
by Marc Glassman. The State of The Arts: Living with Culture in Toronto, 2006. Toronto: Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in publication, 2006.
Video Stars
by Scott Lingley. FAVA Scope, 2005.
Intersections: 25 years of connecting at the Centre for Art Tapes
by James MacSwain. Halifax: Pottersfield Press and the Centre for Art Tapes, 2004.
Culture will suffer
by Richard Fung. The Toronto Star, June 24, 2004.
Handheld Media Fall/Winter 2003
Calgary: EM/MEDIA, 2003.
Art Star: Video Art Biennial
Art Star, 2003. Ottawa: Saw Gallert, 2003.
Richard Fung: Eternal Network: Video from the Western Front...
by Gabrielle Hazekiah. BOMB, Winter 2003, no. 86.
Western Edge - Video from the Front: Eternal Network: Video from...
by Clive Holden. Poolside, 2003. Winnipeg: Video Pool Inc., 2003.
Art of the image takes centre stage
by Liam Lacey. The Globe and Mail, Apr. 11, 2002.
Richard Fung: Images festival tribute puts self-effacing video...
by Cameron Bailey. Now, Apr. 11, 2002, v. 21, no. 32.
Images Festival of Independent Film and Video
by Stephen Lam. Take One, May 2002, no. 37.
Art for Glob
by Richard Fung. Fuse, Nov. 2002, v. 25, no. 4.
Moving Images of Home
by John Di Stefano. Art Journal, Winter 2002, v. 61, no. 4.
After 1980: Margins and Mainstreams
by Julianne Pidduck. Now You See It, 2002. London: Routledge, 2002.
Like Mangoes in July: The Work of Richard Fung
by Helen Lee and Kerri Sakamoto. Insomiac Press, 2002.
Like Mangoes in July: The Work of Richard Fung
by Helen Lee and Kerri Sakamoto. Insomiac Press, 2002.
Like Mangoes in July: The Work of Richard Fung
by Helen Lee and Kerri Sakamoto. Insomiac Press, 2002.
Like Mangoes in July: The Work of Richard Fung
by Helen Lee and Kerri Sakamoto. Insomiac Press, 2002.
Like Mangoes in July: The Work of Richard Fung
by Helen Lee and Kerri Sakamoto. Insomiac Press, 2002.
Like Mangoes in July: The Work of Richard Fung
by Helen Lee and Kerri Sakamoto. Insomiac Press, 2002.
Like Mangoes in July: The Work of Richard Fung
by Helen Lee and Kerri Sakamoto. Insomiac Press, 2002.
Like Mangoes in July: The Work of Richard Fung
by Helen Lee and Kerri Sakamoto. Insomiac Press, 2002.
Like Mangoes in July: The Work of Richard Fung
by Helen Lee and Kerri Sakamoto. Insomiac Press, 2002.
Like Mangoes in July: The Work of Richard Fung
by Helen Lee and Kerri Sakamoto. Insomiac Press, 2002.
Like Mangoes in July: The Work of Richard Fung
by Helen Lee and Kerri Sakamoto. Insomiac Press, 2002.
Remaking Home Movies
by Richard Fung. Subclip, Winter 2001, no. 7.
Top 20 Toronto Films since 1981
by Cameron Bailey. Now, Oct. 25, 2001, v. 21, no. 8.
Richard Fung and Jamelie Hassan speak about their recent honours
by Meera Sethi. Fuse, July 2001, v. 24, no. 2.
Richard Fung's Sea in the Blood: Visualizing Memory, Complicity...
by Margo Francis. Fuse, Apr. 2001, v. 23, no. 4.
The Skin of the Film: Intercultural Cinema, Embodiment, and the Senses
by Laura U. Marks. Durham and London: Duke University Press, 2000.
Magnetic North
by Jenny Lion. Minneapolis: Walker Art Centre, 2000.
Vtape: FAQ & info
by Lissa Gibbs. The Independent, July 1999.
Misfits Together: Paul Wong on art, community and Vancouver in the...
by Richard Fung. Fuse, Summer 1998, v. 21, no. 3.
Total recall: History, memory & new documentary
by Sara Diamond and Gary Kibbins. Trade Initiative, 1998. Vancouver: Satellite Video Exchange Society, 1998.
The Heart of a Difficult Place: The Way to My Father's Village
by Cameron Bailey. Fuse, July 1998, v. 21, no. 3.
Good Clean Fung: Retrospective des oeuvres video de RICHARD FUNG:...
GOOD, CLEAN FUNG: Retrospective des oeuvres video de RICHARD FUNG, 1997. Montreal: OBORO, 1997.
The Art of Calculated Risk: Richard Fung's Dirty Laundry
by Peter Steven. POV, Spring 1996, no. 29.
Straight women, gay porn, and the scene of erotic looking: Richard...
by Laura U. Marks. Jump Cut, Mar. 1996, no. 40.
The Political Sex Toy
by Sharon Raynard. Montréal: articule, 1996.
Mirror Machine: Video and Identity
by Janine Marchessault. Toronto: YYZ Books, 1996.
Deregulating Identity: Video and AIDS Activism
by Tom Folland. Mirror Machine and Identity, 1995. Toronto: YYZ Books, 1995.
Conference Calls: Race As Special Event
by Richard Fung. Take One, Summer 1994, no. 5.
The Fruit Machine
by Thomas Waugh. Cinematheque Film Programme Guide, Fall 1994. Toronto: Cinematheque Ontario, 1994.
So long, Miss Saigon: Art exhibit dismantles myths of Asian sexuality
by Glenn Sumi. Xtra!, June 10, 1994, no. 251.
Racy Sexy: Art exhibit dismantles myths of Asian sexuality
by Henry Tsang. Parallelogramme, 1994, v. 20, no. 1.
Trinity series sign of where T.O.'s at
by Cameron Bailey. Now, Jan. 14, 1993, v. 12, no. 20.
And they're at the post...: Noises Off
by Unknown. The Globe and Mail, Apr. 7 Spring, 1993. Toronto: The Globe and Mail, 1993.
Art's Birthday Video Screening: Trinity Square Video, Toronto, Ontario
by Unknown. Parallelogramme, 1993, v. 18, no. 4.
Queer Looks: Perspectives on Lesbian and Gay Film and Video
by Martha Gever et al. Toronto: Between the Lines, 1993.
The Colours of Culture: Film and Video by Artists of Colour
by Zainub Verjee. Parallèlogramme, 1992, v. 17, no. 4.
Colouring the Screen: Four Strategies in Anti-racist Film and Video
by Richard Fung. Parallèlogramme, 1992, v. 18, no. 3.
Indies impressive in year of plenty: Four Strategies in...
by Cameron Bailey. Now, Jan. 2, 1992, v. 11, no. 18.
Festival of Festivals, Toronto: Films About Interracial Relationships
by Richard Fung. Fuse, Winter 1992, v. 15, no. 3.
The Wedding Album: Part 1 - The Ed Nasello Story
by Michael Balser. foreground, 1992.
We Are All Living With AIDS
by Catherine Saalfield.
We Are All Living With AIDS
Can-Asian Perspectives: A Film and Video Series Exploring Asian Experiences in Canada, 1992. London: The Canadian High Commission and Bazaar Magazine/South Asian Arts Forum, 1992.
Black On Screen
by Claire Prieto and National Film Board of Canada.
Remodeling Asian Media
by Lloyd Wong. Afterimage, May 1991, v. 18, no. 10.
Yellow Peril: Reconsidered
by Stephen Lee. Fuse, Fall 1991, v. 15, no. 1/2.
Film about outrageous incident
by Ron Fair. Share, Dec. 5, 1991.
Seeing Yellow: Asian Film and Representation
by Richard Fung. Fuse, Winter 1991, v. 14, no. 3.
My Mother's Place: Asian Film and Representation
by Ramabei Espinet. Fuse, Winter 1991, v. 14, no. 3.
Fearless Fung taps race complexities
by Cameron Bailey. Now, May 24, 1990, v. 9, no. 37.
Character Study: An Interview with Richard Fung, whose video work...
by Karl Soehnlein. Outweek, Oct. 17, 1990, no. 68.
Speaking of Colour: Image and Nation: Festival of Gay & Lesbian...
by Molly Shinhat. Fuse, Spring 1990, v. 13, no. 4.
Fine local product deserves new and improved exhibition: Best of 1990
by Cameron Bailey. NOW, Jan. 3, 1990, v. 10, no. 17.
The She-Man: Postmodern bi-sexed performance in film and video
by Chris Straayer. Screen, Summer 1990, v. 31, no. 3.
Breaking the Network: Grassroots Images Transform Trinidadian TV
by Richard Fung. Fuse, June 1990, v. 13, no. 5.
Babulal Bhuiya an elegant and searing testimony: Grassroots Images...
by John Harkness and Cameron Bailey. NOW, June 1, 1989, v. 8, no. 38.
Sex Advertised and Sex Displayed
by not specified. Ottawa Citizen, Aug. 12, 1988.
A Screening Room of One's Own: Dec Opens New Theatre
by Gillian Morton. Fuse, Nov. 1988, v. 12, no. 3.
Homosexual videos: Where We Are Now: Attempting to deal with the...
by Martha Gever. Art in America, July 1987, v. 75, no. 7.
eyes on Black Britain: an Interview with Isaac Julien
by Richard Fung. Fuse, Winter 1987, v. 11, no. 4.
Asian New World Video: an Interview with Isaac Julien
by Elspeth Sage. Fuse, Summer 1987, v. 11, no. 1.
5th Art by Gay Men Exhibition: Seven Videotapes from Across Canada
by Neil MacInnis and Jim MacSwain. Halifax: Centre For Art Tapes, 1987.
After 'Desert Hearts': The Los Angeles International Gay & Lesbian...
by Bill Horrigan. Afterimage, May 1987, v. 14, no. 10.
In His Own Image
by Karen Knights. Video Guide, 1987, v. 8, no. 5.
The Grierson Seminar
by Unknown. Cinema Canada, Feb. 1986, no. 127.
"Habits" by YYZ, Toronto: Invitation To A Screening
by Phil Van Steenburgh. Cinema Canada, July 1986, no. 132.
Making privateness public in stunning art
by Christopher Hume. The Toronto Star, Apr. 4, 1986.
Habits:Five Video Premieres
by Varda Burstyn. Canadian Art, Fall 1986, v. 3, no. 3.
Fung and Greyson's queer habits at YYZ
by Unknown. Free Trade, Apr. 1986.
TWO MEN EMBRACING: GAY VIDEO IMAGES
by John Greyson. Video Guide, Dec. 1986, v. 8, no. 4.
Seized Youth
by Richard Fung. The Body Politic, Sept. 1984, no. 106.
Like Mangoes in July: The Work of Richard Fung
by Helen Lee and Kerri Sakamoto. Insomiac Press.