Dustin Shum was born and currently lives in Hong Kong. He graduated from the Hong Kong Polytechnic University in 1994 with a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) Degree in Photographic Design. A photojournalist for more than ten years, he now works as an independent photographer. Shum has received many awards for outstanding documentary photography over the years, including those by the Newspaper Society of Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Press Photographers Association, World Association of Newspapers and Publishers, and Amnesty International.
In his work, Shum focuses on the relationship between individuals and urban spaces, the living conditions of local disadvantaged groups, and the transformation of Chinese cities and towns in rapidly developing economy. His works have been exhibited in solo and group shows locally and internationally. Solo exhibitions held include “Alias: Xianggang” (2003) ,“Photogenic Olympians” (2009) and “Blocks” (2011). Shum has published several catalogues including Live Alone a Life: People with Mental Illness (SoCO, 2007), Themeless Parks: Photographs by Dustin Shum (Hulu Concepts, 2008) (Featured in The Chinese Photobook. Edited by Martin Parr and WassinkLundgren), Life and Times (SoCO, 2014) and BLOCKS (Inertia Books, 2014).
He also participated in many local and international joint exhibitions including Hong Kong Contemporary Art Biennial (2010), City Flâneur: Social Documentary Photography (2010),Pingyao International photography Festival (2008 & 2011), “Photography Now: China, Japan, Korea” (2009, organized by SFMoMA) , Savignano SI Fest (2010) and Asolo Art Film Festival (2011) in Italy and “Experience of Space” in Museum of Contemporary Art of Vojvodina, Novi Sad, Serbia (2014) etc. His works have been collected by the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the Hong Kong Heritage Museum, and private collectors.
In Jan 2013 he co-founded The Salt Yard, an independent, artist-run exhibition space dedicated to photography, where he curated a number of exhibitions by overseas and local photographers.