about
about
Heiyi Tam is a Hong Kong-born artist based in London.
Her practice explores the merging of Eastern and Western influences, impermanence, childhood memories and flavours.
Tam explores poetry, play, and flavours in her work, creating ‘reimagined memories and stories’ through playful imageries — such as looking for Easter eggs, hungry crocodiles, and cereal box puzzles.
Born and raised in Hong Kong before moving to the UK when she was 15, the subtleties of the merging of East and West, through landscapes, cultures, and cuisines, often seep into her practice. Working with metaphorical imagery, her paintings are distinguished by a narrative reflected by the corresponding titles, revealing glimpses of inspiration and flavours behind each painting.
Tam’s background in Philosophy and Psychology informs her interest in perception, memory, and the imagined. Her work explores the intangible qualities of fleeting experiences, creating spaces where the everyday can slip into the surreal.
Tam was recognised by curator Lee Sharrock as one of the rising stars of 2023. She was recently shortlisted for the 14th Edition of The Signature Art Prize and longlisted for the Jackson’s Painting Prize 2025. In 2024, she was a finalist for The Hari Art Prize, and was also longlisted for the Visual Art Association Artist of the Year Award, the Homiens Art Prize, and The London Magazine Feb/March 2024 cover competition. In 2023, she was awarded The Other Art Fair: New Futures Award and was shortlisted for the Tension Gallery Prize. In 2022, she was runner-up in the Tiepolo Blue Art Prize, judged by James Cahill and renowned artist Maggi Hambling CBE. That same year, she was awarded fourth prize in the Landmark Art Prize after being shortlisted in the Top 50. Tam holds an MA in Art and Science from Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts London, graduating with First Class Honours in 2023.
Recent exhibitions include ‘Housewarming’, 3812 Gallery, Hong Kong, The Treasure Art Fair with 3812 Gallery, London, and ‘ADDENDUM’, No. 20 Arts Gallery, London, UK.