Born in Shantou, China, in 1947, Dominic Lam enjoys success as both an internationally recognized artist and a leading expert in Biotechnology and Ophthalmology. Lam began his study of Chinese painting at the precocious age of six, but was later encouraged by his parents to concentrate on science and mathematics. After emigrating to Canada from Hong Kong at age 16, Lam quickly excelled at his studies and received a doctoral degree from the University of Toronto in Medical Biophysics six short years later. He went on to teach at Harvard University and Baylor College of Medicine, but never forgot his passion for the visual arts. In 1980, while developing black and white photographs of retinae for his research, Lam noticed the appearance of specs of color on the photographic paper. Intrigued by his discovery, he began to experiment with the photographic process, and eventually developed what he has termed "Chromoskedasic Painting" or "NanoArt," after the scattering of nanometer-sized light particles over black-and-white photographic paper to create chromatic effects. Lam's early work was influenced by such modern ink masters as Guan Shanyue (1912–2000) and Zhao Shao'ang (1905–1998), with whom he had the opportunity to study during work-related visits to China. Beginning in 2000 at the behest of his mentor, sculptor Ju Ming (b. 1938), Lam established a signature style of bold, semi-abstract polychromatic compositions related to themes of vision, thus integrating his scientific expertise, artistic training, and technical innovations.

Lam has received several awards for both his artistic and scientific contributions. In 1989 he was appointed by President George Bush as Member of the President's Committee for the Arts and Humanities (the first person of Asian descent to be so appointed). His work has been featured in group exhibitions at the Hong Kong Arts Centre; Shanghai Biennale; George Bush Library and Museum, Texas; and Plum Blossoms Gallery, Hong Kong, among many others. He has been the subject of solo exhibitions at the Shanghai Duolun Museum of Modern Art; Guan Shanyue Museum, Shenzhen; University of Houston Art Gallery; and Cafe de Country Art, Hong Kong, among others. Lam's works have been collected by such institutions and entities as the Diaoyutai State Guest House, Beijing; Beijing Olympic Committee; Menil Collection, Houston; and Shanghai Duolun Museum of Modern Art. He currently lives and works in Hong Kong.

CEJ