Thomas Kong is an artist working in collage and assemblage, using advertising, packaging and other surplus material from his convenience store, Kim's Corner Food, located in the Rogers Park neighborhood of Chicago.
Kim's Corner Food features an evolving installation of Kong's work, and an experimental project space is housed in The Back Room. The store is open to customers and visitors 7 days a week from 8AM - 8PM at 1371 W. Estes Ave, Chicago, IL 60626.
Recent press
Akira Kuroki, "コンビニ丸ごとアートにしちゃった。シカゴのDIYおじいちゃん、トーマスさんに会ってきた". Ginza Magazine, Nov 2018 (in Japanese)
Meha Ahmad and Tony Sarabia (interviewing Jessica Mlinaric), "Beyond The Bean: Your Top Chicago Spring Break Recs". Morning Shift on WBEZ, March 2018
Lori Waxman, "The year in visual art was a dizzying reflection of today". Chicago Tribune, Dec 2017
Chris Reeves, 'Mark Art, Be Happy: Radical Artistic Collaboration in Rogers Park', Newcity, July 2017
Annette LePique, 'Ruby T “TENSES” at The Back Room at Kim’s Corner Food', Chicago Artist Writers, June 2017
Margaret Carrigan, 'Exploring Evangelism: Jenn Smith’s “Name in Vain” at Chicago’s The Back Room', Blouin Artinfo, January 2017
Danny Olda, 'Thomas Kong at Coco Hunday', Temporary Art Review, May 2016
Anna Foran, 'How a Bodega Became a Sprawling Site for Collage', Hyperallergic, April 2016
Elliot Reichert, 'Eye Exam: Making Space for Art', Newcity, February 2016
Kate Sierzputowski, 'A north-side bodega has become a gallery of food-packaging collages', The Reader, August 2015
Kim's Corner Food features an evolving installation of Kong's work, and an experimental project space is housed in The Back Room. The store is open to customers and visitors 7 days a week from 8AM - 8PM at 1371 W. Estes Ave, Chicago, IL 60626.
Recent press
Akira Kuroki, "コンビニ丸ごとアートにしちゃった。シカゴのDIYおじいちゃん、トーマスさんに会ってきた". Ginza Magazine, Nov 2018 (in Japanese)
Meha Ahmad and Tony Sarabia (interviewing Jessica Mlinaric), "Beyond The Bean: Your Top Chicago Spring Break Recs". Morning Shift on WBEZ, March 2018
Lori Waxman, "The year in visual art was a dizzying reflection of today". Chicago Tribune, Dec 2017
Chris Reeves, 'Mark Art, Be Happy: Radical Artistic Collaboration in Rogers Park', Newcity, July 2017
Annette LePique, 'Ruby T “TENSES” at The Back Room at Kim’s Corner Food', Chicago Artist Writers, June 2017
Margaret Carrigan, 'Exploring Evangelism: Jenn Smith’s “Name in Vain” at Chicago’s The Back Room', Blouin Artinfo, January 2017
Danny Olda, 'Thomas Kong at Coco Hunday', Temporary Art Review, May 2016
Anna Foran, 'How a Bodega Became a Sprawling Site for Collage', Hyperallergic, April 2016
Elliot Reichert, 'Eye Exam: Making Space for Art', Newcity, February 2016
Kate Sierzputowski, 'A north-side bodega has become a gallery of food-packaging collages', The Reader, August 2015
