Multi-disciplinary artist Samson Young works in sound, performance, video, and installation. He graduated with a Ph.D. in Music Composition from Princeton University in 2013. In 2017, he represented Hong Kong at the 57th Venice Biennale. Other solo projects include the De Appel, Amsterdam; Kunsthalle Düsseldorf; Talbot Rice Gallery, Edinburgh; SMART Museum, Chicago; Centre for Contemporary Chinese Art in Manchester; M+ Pavilion, Hong Kong; Mori Art Museum, Tokyo; Ryosoku-in at Kenninji Temple, Kyoto; and Monash University Museum of Art, Melbourne, among others. Selected group exhibitions include Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York; Gropius Bau, Berlin; Performa 19, New York; Biennale of Sydney; Shanghai Biennale; National Museum of Art, Osaka; National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Seoul; Ars Electronica, Linz; and documenta 14: documenta radio, among others. In 2020, he was awarded the inaugural Uli Sigg Prize.
Samson Young B. Hong Kong, China, 1979

“Artist’s Rooms: Samson Young”, Jameel Arts Centre, Dubai, 2021.
Courtesy of Jameel Arts Centre.
Photo by Daniella Bapista

“Artist’s Rooms: Samson Young”, Jameel Arts Centre, Dubai, 2021.
Courtesy of Jameel Arts Centre.
Photo by Daniella Bapista

“Artist’s Rooms: Samson Young”, Jameel Arts Centre, Dubai, 2021.
Courtesy of Jameel Arts Centre.
Photo by Daniella Bapista

“Artist’s Rooms: Samson Young”, Jameel Arts Centre, Dubai, 2021.
Courtesy of Jameel Arts Centre.
Photo by Daniella Bapista

“Artist’s Rooms: Samson Young”, Jameel Arts Centre, Dubai, 2021.
Courtesy of Jameel Arts Centre.
Photo by Daniella Bapista

“Artist’s Rooms: Samson Young”, Jameel Arts Centre, Dubai, 2021.
Courtesy of Jameel Arts Centre.
Photo by Daniella Bapista

Production still. © Samson Young. Image courtesy of the artist.
Photo: Dennis Man Wing Leung

“Samson Young: Close Reading”, Ryosoku-in at Kennin-ji Temple, Kyoto, 2020.
Image courtesy of the artist.
Photo: Nobutada Omote

“Samson Young: Close Reading”, Ryosoku-in at Kennin-ji Temple, Kyoto, 2020.
Image courtesy of the artist.
Photo: Nobutada Omote

“Samson Young: Close Reading”, Ryosoku-in at Kennin-ji Temple, Kyoto, 2020.
Image courtesy of the artist.
Photo: Nobutada Omote

“Samson Young: Close Reading”, Ryosoku-in at Kennin-ji Temple, Kyoto, 2020.
Image courtesy of the artist.
Photo: Nobutada Omote

“Samson Young: Close Reading”, Ryosoku-in at Kennin-ji Temple, Kyoto, 2020.
Image courtesy of the artist.
Photo: Nobutada Omote

“Samson Young: Close Reading”, Ryosoku-in at Kennin-ji Temple, Kyoto, 2020.
Image courtesy of the artist.
Photo: Nobutada Omote

“Samson Young: Close Reading”, Ryosoku-in at Kennin-ji Temple, Kyoto, 2020.
Image courtesy of the artist.
Photo: Nobutada Omote

Image courtesy: Performa 19 Biennial and the artist. Photo: Caroline Budge.

Image courtesy: Performa 19 Biennial and the artist. Photo: Caroline Budge.

Animation still. Image courtesy of the artist.

Animation still. Image courtesy of the artist.

‘Immortals’ in the exhibition ‘Unconstrained Textiles: Stitching Methods, Crossing Ideas’, Centre for Heritage, Arts & Textiles, Hong Kong, 2020. Image courtesy: Centre for Heritage, Arts & Textiles, Hong Kong and the artist. Photo: Dennis Man Wing Leung.

‘Immortals’ in the exhibition ‘Unconstrained Textiles: Stitching Methods, Crossing Ideas’, Centre for Heritage, Arts & Textiles, Hong Kong, 2020. Image courtesy: Centre for Heritage, Arts & Textiles, Hong Kong and the artist. Photo: Dennis Man Wing Leung.

‘Immortals’ in the exhibition ‘Unconstrained Textiles: Stitching Methods, Crossing Ideas’, Centre for Heritage, Arts & Textiles, Hong Kong, 2020. Image courtesy: Centre for Heritage, Arts & Textiles, Hong Kong and the artist. Photo: Dennis Man Wing Leung.

‘Immortals’ in the exhibition ‘Unconstrained Textiles: Stitching Methods, Crossing Ideas’, Centre for Heritage, Arts & Textiles, Hong Kong, 2020. Image courtesy: Centre for Heritage, Arts & Textiles, Hong Kong and the artist. Photo: Dennis Man Wing Leung.

‘Immortals’ in the exhibition ‘Unconstrained Textiles: Stitching Methods, Crossing Ideas’, Centre for Heritage, Arts & Textiles, Hong Kong, 2020. Image courtesy: Centre for Heritage, Arts & Textiles, Hong Kong and the artist. Photo: Dennis Man Wing Leung.

Animation still
Image courtesy of the artist

Animation still
Image courtesy of the artist

Animation still
Image courtesy of the artist

Animation still
Image courtesy of the artist

‘Houses of Tomorrow’ in the exhibition ‘Samson Young: Silver Moon or Golden Star, Which Will You Buy of Me?’, Smart Museum of Art, University of Chicago, 2019
Image courtesy: Smart Museum of Art and the artist
Photo: Michael Tropea

‘Houses of Tomorrow’ in the exhibition ‘Samson Young: Silver Moon or Golden Star, Which Will You Buy of Me?’, Smart Museum of Art, University of Chicago, 2019
Image courtesy: Smart Museum of Art and the artist
Photo: Michael Tropea

Animation still
Image courtesy of the artist

Animation still
Image courtesy of the artist

‘Utopia Trilogy #2: Da Da Company’ in the exhibition ‘Samson Young: Silver Moon or Golden Star, Which Will You Buy of Me?’, Smart Museum of Art, University of Chicago, 2019
Image courtesy: Smart Museum of Art, University of Chicago and the artist
Photo: Michael Tropea

‘Utopia Trilogy #2: Da Da Company’ in the exhibition ‘Samson Young: Silver Moon or Golden Star, Which Will You Buy of Me?’, Smart Museum of Art, University of Chicago, 2019
Image courtesy: Smart Museum of Art, University of Chicago and the artist
Photo: Michael Tropea

Production still
Image courtesy of the artist
Photo: Lily Chan

Production still
Image courtesy of the artist
Photo: Lily Chan

Production still
Image courtesy of the artist
Photo: Lily Chan

Production still
Image courtesy of the artist
Photo: Lily Chan

3D-printed nylon, soft pastel, Jesmonite, polyurethane foam, timber, plywood, plaster, paint, bronze, 16-channel sound installation, 10 short compositions at regular intervals
Image courtesy: Talbot Rice Gallery, The University of Edinburgh and the artist
Photo: Sally Jubb

3D-printed nylon, soft pastel, Jesmonite, polyurethane foam, timber, plywood, plaster, paint, bronze, 16-channel sound installation, 10 short compositions at regular intervals
Image courtesy: Talbot Rice Gallery, The University of Edinburgh and the artist
Photo: Sally Jubb

‘Orchestrations’ in the exhibition ‘Samson Young – Real Music’, Talbot Rice Gallery, The University of Edinburgh, 2019
Image courtesy: Talbot Rice Gallery, The University of Edinburgh and the artist
Photo: Simon Vogel, Cologne

Ink, pastel, colour pencil and watercolour on paper with artist frame (3D-printed PLA), 30 x 21 cm
Image courtesy: Talbot Rice Gallery, The University of Edinburgh and the artist
Photo: Simon Vogel, Cologne

Ink, pastel, colour pencil and watercolour on paper with artist frame (3D-printed PLA), 30 x 21 cm
Image courtesy: Talbot Rice Gallery, The University of Edinburgh and the artist
Photo: Simon Vogel

Animation still
Image courtesy of the artist

Animation still
Image courtesy of the artist

‘The highway is like a lion’s mouth’, Edouard Malingue Gallery, Shanghai, 2018
Image courtesy: Edouard Malingue Gallery and the artist
Photo: Lily Chan

‘The highway is like a lion’s mouth’, Edouard Malingue Gallery, Shanghai, 2018
Image courtesy: Edouard Malingue Gallery and the artist
Photo: Lily Chan

Coloured fineliner pen, color pencil and pastel on paper, 30 x 21 cm
Image courtesy: Edouard Malingue Gallery and the artist
Photo: Lily Chan

Coloured fineliner pen, color pencil and pastel on paper, 1 in set of 5 drawings, 30 x 21 cm
Image courtesy: Edouard Malingue Gallery and the artist
Photo: Lily Chan

‘One Hand Clapping’ at Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York, May 4–October 21, 2018
© Samson Young. Image courtesy of the artist
Photo Credit: Ji Hoon Kim, New York/Seoul

‘One Hand Clapping’ at Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York, May 4–October 21, 2018
© Samson Young. Image courtesy of the artist
Photo Credit: Ji Hoon Kim, New York/Seoul

‘One Hand Clapping’ at Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York, May 4–October 21, 2018
© Samson Young. Image courtesy of the artist
Photo Credit: Ji Hoon Kim, New York/Seoul

‘One Hand Clapping’ at Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York, May 4–October 21, 2018
© Samson Young. Image courtesy of the artist
Photo Credit: Ji Hoon Kim, New York/Seoul

‘One Hand Clapping’ at Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York, May 4–October 21, 2018
© Samson Young. Image courtesy of the artist
Photo Credit: Ji Hoon Kim, New York/Seoul

‘One Hand Clapping’ at Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York, May 4–October 21, 2018
© Samson Young. Image courtesy of the artist
Photo Credit: Ji Hoon Kim, New York/Seoul

‘One Hand Clapping’ at Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York, May 4–October 21, 2018
© Samson Young. Image courtesy of the artist
Photo Credit: Ji Hoon Kim, New York/Seoul

Silk-screen print on vinyl cover, felt tip pen on vinyl records, 3D-printed nylon, vitrine of found objects, movable curtain system, neon, video, animation and 10-channel sound installation
Image courtesy of the artist
Photo: Simon Vogel, Cologne

Silk-screen print on vinyl cover, felt tip pen on vinyl records, 3D-printed nylon, vitrine of found objects, movable curtain system, neon, video, animation and 10-channel sound installation
Image courtesy of the artist
Photo: Simon Vogel, Cologne

Silk-screen print on vinyl cover, felt tip pen on vinyl records, 3D-printed nylon, vitrine of found objects, movable curtain system, neon, video, animation and 10-channel sound installation
Image courtesy of the artist
Photo: Simon Vogel, Cologne

Silk-screen print on vinyl cover, felt tip pen on vinyl records, 3D-printed nylon, vitrine of found objects, movable curtain system, neon, video, animation and 10-channel sound installation
Image courtesy of the artist
Photo: Simon Vogel, Cologne

Silk-screen print on vinyl cover, felt tip pen on vinyl records, 3D-printed nylon, vitrine of found objects, movable curtain system, neon, video, animation and 10-channel sound installation
Image courtesy of the artist
Photo: Simon Vogel, Cologne

Image courtesy of the artist

Silk-screen print on vinyl cover, felt tip pen on vinyl records, 3D-printed nylon, vitrine of found objects, movable curtain system, neon, video, animation and 10-channel sound installation
Image of courtesy the artist
Photo: Simon Vogel, Cologne

‘We Are the World, as performed by the Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions Choir’ in the exhibition ‘Samson Young: Songs for Disaster Relief’, 57th Venice Biennale, 2017
Image courtesy of the artist
Photo: Simon Vogel, Cologne

‘We Are the World, as performed by the Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions Choir’ in the exhibition ‘Samson Young: Songs for Disaster Relief’, 57th Venice Biennale, 2017
Image courtesy of the artist
Photo: Simon Vogel, Cologne

Video still
Image courtesy of the artist

Production still
Image courtesy of the artist

‘Muted Situation #22: Muted Tchaikovsky’s 5th’ in 21st Biennale of Sydney at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, 2018
Image courtesy of the artist, Edouard Malingue Gallery, Hong Kong; Galerie Gisela Capitain, Cologne; and Team Gallery, New York
Photo: Silversalt Photography

‘Muted Situation #22: Muted Tchaikovsky’s 5th’ in 21st Biennale of Sydney at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, 2018
Image courtesy of the artist, Edouard Malingue Gallery, Hong Kong; Galerie Gisela Capitain, Cologne; and Team Gallery, New York
Photo: Silversalt Photography

Production still
Image courtesy of the artist

Production still
Image courtesy of the artist

‘Muted Situation #22: Muted Tchaikovsky’s 5th’ in the exhibition ‘Samson Young – Real Music’, Talbot Rice Gallery, The University of Edinburgh, 2019
Image courtesy: Talbot Rice Gallery, The University of Edinburgh and the artist
Photo: Sally Jubb

‘Muted Situation #22: Muted Tchaikovsky’s 5th’ in the exhibition ‘Samson Young – Real Music’, Talbot Rice Gallery, The University of Edinburgh, 2019
Image courtesy: Talbot Rice Gallery, The University of Edinburgh and the artist
Photo: Sally Jubb

Radio drama production still
Photo: Simon Bray, Manchester

Radio drama production still
Photo: Simon Bray, Manchester

‘One of Two Stories, or Both (Field Bagatelles)’ in Manchester International Fesitval, 2017
Photo: Simon Bray, Manchester

‘One of Two Stories, or Both (Field Bagatelles)’ in Manchester International Fesitval, 2017
Photo: Simon Bray, Manchester

Live performance in the exhibition ‘A dark theme keeps me here, I’ll make a broken music’, Kunsthalle Düsseldorf, 2016/2017
Image courtesy: Kunsthalle Düsseldorf and the artist
Photo: Simon Vogel, Cologne

‘A dark theme keeps me here, I’ll make a broken music’, Kunsthalle Düsseldorf, 2016/2017
Image courtesy: Kunsthalle Düsseldorf and the artist
Photo: Simon Vogel, Cologne

‘Canon’ in Art Basel Unlimited 2016
© Samson Young
Image courtesy Galerie Giesla Capitain and Team Gallery
Photo Credit: Simon Vogel

Production still
©Samson Young
Image courtesy of the artist
Photo: Dennis Man Wing Leung

Production still
©Samson Young
Image courtesy of the artist
Photo: Dennis Man Wing Leung

Production still
©Samson Young
Image courtesy: The Smithsonian and the artist
Photo: Harry Kong

‘Muted Situations’ in ‘A dark theme keeps me here, I’ll make a broken music’, Kunsthalle Düsseldorf, 2016/2017
Image courtesy: Kunsthalle Düsseldorf and the artist
Photo: Simon Vogel, Cologne

Performance still
Image courtesy: Hamburger Bahnhof and the artist
Photo: Miro Kuzmanovic

Performance still
Image courtesy: Hamburger Bahnhof and the artist
Photo: Miro Kuzmanovic

Performance still
Image courtesy: Hamburger Bahnhof and the artist
Photo: Miro Kuzmanovic

Performance still
Image courtesy: Hamburger Bahnhof and the artist
Photo: Miro Kuzmanovic

‘Coffee Cantata’ in ‘Sparkle! I Wanna Eat Yummy Yummy’, Oi! Art Space, 2015
© Samson Young
Image courtesy: Oi! Art Space and the artist
Photo: Dennis Man Wing Leung

‘Coffee Cantata’ in ‘Sparkle! I Wanna Eat Yummy Yummy’, Oi! Art Space, 2015
© Samson Young
Image courtesy: Oi! Art Space and the artist
Photo: Dennis Man Wing Leung

‘Coffee Cantata’ in ‘Sparkle! I Wanna Eat Yummy Yummy’, Oi! Art Space, 2015
© Samson Young
Image courtesy: Oi! Art Space and the artist
Photo: Dennis Man Wing Leung

Image courtesy of the artist

Video production still, 2015
Image and photo courtesy of the artist

Fieldwork documentation
©Samson Young
Image courtesy of the artist
Photo: Dennis Man Wing Leung

Fieldwork documentation
©Samson Young
Image courtesy of the artist
Photo: Dennis Man Wing Leung

Ink, pencil, watercolour, xerox print on paper
©Samson Young
Image courtesy of the artist

Ink, pencil, watercolour, xerox print on paper
©Samson Young
Image courtesy of the artist