Born in Montreal to a family of Chinese-Cambodian refugees, this dual culture has led him to create in a desire to build and define himself. With a degree in graphic design, he became familiar with the digital world, aware of the infinite possibilities of these media, yet wary of their mechanicity, preferring the intuitiveness that a more abstract pictorial approach allows him, to compositions influenced by his past as a graffiti artist. He paints everyday subjects with a pronounced taste for geometric shapes and compositions inspired by graphic design. Somewhere between figurative and abstract art, he creates dynamic compositions in which he deconstructs forms to give a second approach to an image, an idea, a memory…
His work can be seen in the United States, Canada, Haiti and Cambodia. Beyung lives and works in Montreal.
FONKi is a Montreal artist. He was born in France to Khmer parents who were refugees from the Cambodian genocide of the 1970s. At the age of 15, FONKi discovered graffiti. Little by little, FONKi established himself as one of the leading figures of the new generation of Montreal graffiti artists.
His art has allowed him to discover the world. He has created murals in England, France, Belgium, Cambodia, the United States, Mexico, Vietnam… Wherever he goes, he paints huge portraits celebrating local figures. These anonymous faces with deeply moving expressions have become FONKi’s signature.
From walls to canvas, FONKi has successfully adapted his street art to galleries.
To display the map, please accept functional cookies by clicking on « Consent preferences ».
Artwork description
Initiated by artists Bryan Beyung and FONKi, both from the Cambodian diaspora, this mural pays tribute to collective memory and celebrates the migratory journeys of the Vietnamese, Laotian, and Cambodian communities established in Quebec.
Starting in 1975, in the context of the end of the Vietnam War and the beginning of the Cambodian genocide, more than 180,000 refugees from Southeast Asia found refuge in Canada. The year 2025 marks the 50th anniversary of this mass exodus, one of the largest forced migrations in contemporary history.
As part of this project, roundtable discussions were organized, allowing artists to meet people from the three communities and different generations. These exchanges provided an opportunity to collect testimonials, life stories, and aspirations, which fed into the creation of the mural.
The resulting work highlights the themes of memory, transmission, and renewal. The lotus, present in all three cultures, occupies a central place: a symbol of resilience, peace, rebirth, and optimism, it grows in mud but always rises toward the light.
This mural is also a tribute to the welcoming land—Quebec—which has offered these communities the opportunity to rebuild their lives. It is a gesture of gratitude to those who paved the way, and a testimony of love for roots and new beginnings.