Alex Kwong
Calgary, Canada
Alex Kwong is a visual artist based out of Calgary, Alberta, and specializes in large scale murals. His work is largely representational, specifically portraits, painting in a photorealistic manner fused with expressionistic elements. This approach stems from the idea of the two parallel realities that we experience. The first is the material world that we experience and the second is the intangible parts of life that we feel spiritually and emotionally. His practice is further informed by his Bachelor’s Degree in Art History where Kwong, before he became an artist himself, was exposed to the lives and work of artists and artisans of various movements and cultures throughout history.
Mural Statement
Nestled between a row of local businesses, the Fortis Calgary wall peaks above many buildings giving people a beautiful view as they walk West down 17th Ave.
In a special mural that was designed to ‘Commemorate Canada’ through generous funding from The Government of Canada, the artist was asked to ruminate on the nuances of the era we are in through his installation. In response to this Alex Kwong brings us a beautiful mural capturing a pivotal moment in time between father and daughter. Depicting Curtis and his daughter Odette on a warm summer afternoon in Calgary, Kwong hopes to expand on the idea of love and how individual relationships can serve as starting points to greater connections with friends, family, and most importantly ourselves. Loving connections in these most familial relationships can be a window into our true nature and the realization that we are all in fact connected and one. Kwong is an exceptionally skilled local artist whose large scale figurative works have become well known in Western Canada. You can read more about the documentary we filmed around this project here.
