Ching Ho Cheng

Ching Ho Cheng (December 26, 1946 – May 25, 1989) was a Cuban-born American visual artist of Chinese descent whose work occupies a distinct place within the cultural and aesthetic landscape of postwar New York. Active from the late 1960s through the 1980s, Cheng developed a materially innovative and conceptually introspective practice that intersected with the downtown avant-garde, psychedelic art, and emergent Asian American artistic expression. His oeuvre is categorized into four distinct periods: Psychedelics, Gouache, Torn Works, and The Alchemical Series—each primarily executed on paper.

Deeply informed by world literature, Cheng's work reflects a unique synthesis of cultural influences, most notably Egyptian mythology and Taoist philosophy. His dedication to Taoism—especially its principles of transformation and the cyclical nature of life—strongly shaped his creative vision, imbuing his art with themes of spiritual renewal and alchemical change.