STIRWorld – Patrick Sun mobilises his art collection to celebrate queer identities

STIRWorld – Patrick Sun mobilises his art collection to celebrate queer identities

800 619 SUNPRIDE FOUNDATION | 驕陽基金會

Patrick Sun grew up in Hong Kong at a time when being gay was viewed as a source of familial shame. On coming out to his mother, the real estate developer and art collector was dispatched to a psychiatrist, “not in Hong Kong”, he recounts, to eliminate the risk of others learning about his sexuality. The psychiatrist dispensed sound advice with all the authority of a medical professional, reassuring Sun’s mother about her son’s queer identity. This instance from Sun’s childhood fostered his commitment to dialogue and his sensitivity to community-centric Asian contexts. As founder of the Sunpride Foundation, established in 2014, he uses his art collection to grow awareness and build equal futures for the LGBT community. The Foundation collects queer-themed work and also works by artists who identify as queer.

– Ranjana Dave, 30 June 2024