Alex Cheung: Paid In Full

During his time at the nursing home, my grandpa (公公) saved the menu printouts provided with each meal. Mistaking them for receipts, he reminded my mother and uncles to pay for them, unaware that his stay was already covered in full.

I held onto these “receipts,” and following his passing, I found myself drawing a parallel between them and traditional joss paper used in Chinese ancestral worship. While joss paper is typically burnt to provide the deceased with wealth and comfort in the afterlife, these menu receipts serve as a more grounded reminder of the earthly cost of living.

A full life is defined by the accrual of both the "good and the bad": wealth and debt, health and illness, happiness and sadness, and the memories that fall in between. By juxtaposing joss paper with these menu receipts, this project reflects on the complexities of the human experience, the afterlife, and what we pass down to future generations. 

Published by Alex Carr Cheung
2026
Risograph book
Edition of 100
3" x 7.5"
40 pages

Shipping charges are based upon final weight and destination.  We ship all orders via USPS Priority Mail. Orders shipped within the continental United States usually arrive within 4–7 business days. International orders usually arrive within 10–14 business days.

Read More