Casual victim

Born in Hong Kong in 1964, Hiram To lived in Scotland in the late 1970s and early 80s before settling in Brisbane, Australia in 1986. In Australia To quickly established himself within the local contemporary art scene by exhibiting in solo and group exhibitions in artist run spaces, commercial galleries, regional galleries and universities across the country during the late 80s and early to mid-90s.

To returned to Hong Kong permanently in the mid 1990s and steadily built an international career by exhibiting at Taipei, London, Hong Kong, Düsseldorf, and Frankfurt. In 1994 he became the first artist from Hong Kong to stage a solo exhibition in a major contemporary art gallery in Britain (Camden Art Centre), and in 2002 he was featured in a survey exhibition at the Winnipeg Art Gallery in Canada. In 2007, To was one of three artists chosen to represent Hong Kong at the 52nd Biennale of Venice.

To died suddenly and unexpectedly, in the prime of his career, at his home in Hong Kong in 2017.

The two self-portrait photographs, 'Casual victim' 1990-91 and 'Higher [Dior- orDi]', are significant works within To’s oeuvre and together they address key concerns within his practice such as self-representation and layered Queer and Asian identities, pop culture and cinema, the slick and seductive aesthetics of fashion and commercial advertising, and the fetishization of Asian art and culture in the West.