KANIK CHUNG

CHUNG--Kanik, beloved bro-ther, friend, teacher and mentor, departed this earth on Wednesday, November 4 at the age of 45. Kanik, who is survived by his sister Ling-Fong, was born on February 1, 1968 in Dallas, Texas to David and May Chung and grew up in Palo Alto, California, where he attended Gunn High School. There, he excelled at track and field and became enchanted with ceramics, a passion which eventually led him to follow a career in art, specifically working in a glass medium. He began his career in San Francisco in the early 1990s. After graduating from San Francisco State University, he received an MFA from Ohio State University in 1998 and then moved to New York City in 2000. As a glass artist Kanik was both feared and revered for his skill and control of the medium. His work has been shown throughout the US and internationally. From his stylized vessel work to large installations and architectural designs, his work was versatile in both its use of the medium and the direction of its design. As head of the NYU glass department, Kanik taught students throughout the US, Europe, and the Middle East. Kanik was diagnosed with cancer in early 2012 and fought the disease valiantly with the help of friends, family, the Bellevue Hospital Center and Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. Kanik had originally asked for a memorial TV timeout during a Golden State Warriors game, but we decided to go with this obit instead. Sorry man! The family is requesting that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to any living artist you know, like, or love. A celebration of Kanik's life will be held at a later date, please check www.keepingupwithkanik.blogspot.com for updates.