Interview about Interference Sculpture Art, winner of the A' Fine Arts and Art Installation Design Award 2023
The shape of trees symbolizes nature, and the cloth symbolizes human intervention in nature. The work collides the primitive nature of nature with the possibility of human interference, creates a scene space with the theme of ecology, and applies the tree modeling elements in the literati paintings of the Song Dynasty to sculpture. When people stare at these works, they will think about where human beings have gone and the relationship between nature and human beings.
View detailed images, specifications, and award details on A' Design Award & Competition website.
View Design DetailsFirstly, the characteristics of transparent resin endow sculpture with a unique visual effect. Its transparency allows the structure and form inside the sculpture to be vaguely revealed, as if the forces of nature and human intervention are intertwined and colliding inside the sculpture. This visual effect not only enhances the three-dimensional sense of the sculpture, but also allows the audience to feel an inner tension while watching, as if they can glimpse the complexity behind the relationship between nature and humanity.Secondly, the material of transparent resin makes this interference more intuitive and noticeable. It shows people that human intervention is like transparent blankets, although seemingly light and harmless, it actually brings enormous pressure and burden to nature. This symbolic expression enables sculpture to more profoundly reveal the contradictory relationship between humans and nature, and provoke reflection from the audience.
Firstly, I conducted in-depth research and analysis on the tree shapes in literati paintings of the Song Dynasty. The literati paintings of the Song Dynasty are known for their simplicity and elegance, with trees often outlined in lines, naturally shaped, and full of vitality. I particularly noticed the branches, leaves, and overall posture of the trees in these paintings, which often depict the rhythm and tempo of nature with minimalist brushstrokes.I faced a significant challenge in transforming these classical aesthetic elements into sculptural forms. Sculpture and painting are two different forms of art, with painting emphasizing composition and color application on a flat surface, while sculpture requires shaping forms in three-dimensional space. Therefore, I need to carry out three-dimensional transformation and innovation while maintaining the essence of tree shapes in Song Dynasty literati paintings.In the creative process, I pay special attention to maintaining the cultural significance of tree shapes in Song Dynasty literati paintings. These trees are not only symbols of nature, but also carriers for literati to express emotions and artistic conception. Therefore, in sculpture, I convey profound themes such as the relationship between humans and nature and human interference in nature through the form, posture, and combination with other elements of trees. These themes not only echo the artistic conception of Song Dynasty literati paintings, but also conform to contemporary society's concern for environmental protection and ecological balance.
In the rural environment where I grew up, trees were not only symbols of nature, but also carried various human needs. I remember that villagers would cool off and chat under the trees, children would play under the shade of trees, and the trees themselves silently provided fruits, wood, and even became tools for drying clothes and blankets. Although these scenes may seem ordinary, they planted the seeds of contemplation on the relationship between nature and humanity in my young mind.I have always felt a sense of pity and sadness towards trees since I was young. As a part of nature, trees should grow and flourish freely, but they have to bear various human needs and pressures. This feeling became even more profound as I grew up, and I began to realize that human intervention in nature is not just about the use of trees, but also a destruction of the entire ecosystem.These early observations shaped my unique perspective on art. I believe that art is not only a pursuit of beauty, but also a profound reflection and criticism of the real world. When creating 'Intervention', I chose trees and cloth as symbolic elements. Trees symbolize nature, while cloth symbolizes human intervention in nature. Through the form of sculpture, I present this relationship in an intuitive and vivid way, allowing the audience to feel the sadness and helplessness of nature in silent endurance.
Although the size of the actual work draft is relatively small at present, I hope that the final work presentation size can create an immersive environment, allowing the audience to more directly feel the information and emotions conveyed by the work. I chose to set the size of each individual sculpture to be about 4.8 meters long, 1.5 meters wide, and 2.5 meters high. This size gives the sculpture a certain sense of volume and presence in space, which can attract the audience's attention and guide them into the context created by the work.
Firstly, the different exhibition spaces provide diverse display backgrounds for the works. In professional art halls like Shandong Art Museum, works are placed in a more solemn and formal exhibition environment, which helps the audience to examine and reflect on the ecological information conveyed by the works with a more serious and focused attitude. The 798 Art District, with its unique industrial style and modern art atmosphere, adds a more avant-garde and open interpretation space to the works, allowing audiences to appreciate the works while also feeling the more complex relationship between art and the ecological environment.Secondly, different audience groups also exhibit diversity in their interpretations of the work. At Shandong Art Museum, the audience may come more from the academic and artistic circles, and their understanding of the works is often deeper and more professional, able to explore the ecological concepts and humanistic concerns expressed in the works from a more detailed perspective. In the 798 Art District, the audience is more diverse, including young people, artists, tourists, etc. Their interpretation of the works may be more intuitive and emotional, paying more attention to the visual impact and emotional resonance created by the works.This diverse and differentiated interpretation not only enriches the connotation of the work, but also makes me more deeply aware of the complexity and challenges of conveying ecological information. In different exhibition spaces and audience groups, the ecological information conveyed by works may be endowed with different meanings and values, which also prompts me to constantly reflect and deepen my understanding and comprehension of ecological issues.
Firstly, the award further highlights the important position of ecological art in the field of contemporary art. It indicates that exploring and reflecting on environmental issues through artistic forms has become an important direction in contemporary art creation. This not only helps to raise public awareness of environmental issues, but also inspires more artists to engage in ecological art creation, jointly promoting the popularization and deepening of environmental awareness.Secondly, the award has also promoted the dissemination and discussion of environmental awareness at a broader societal level. Through media coverage and exhibition displays, more people have begun to pay attention to the field of ecological art and begun to consider the relationship between environmental issues and artistic creation. This discussion and reflection will help promote the attention and action of all sectors of society towards environmental issues, thereby contributing to the realization of sustainable development and ecological civilization construction.
Firstly, as a material, transparent resin itself has extremely high transparency and purity, which creates an ethereal and profound visual effect for the work. Through 3D printing technology, I am able to precisely control the layering and shape of the resin, allowing the sculpture to present delicate and rich light and shadow changes under the illumination of light. This change not only enhances the spatial sense of the work, but also allows viewers to feel a mysterious experience that seems to penetrate matter and look directly at the essence while viewing.Secondly, the material properties of transparent resin give the work a contradictory beauty of lightness and heaviness. Although the resin itself is lightweight, when I shape it into a sturdy tree trunk and wrap it with fabric, the work conveys a heavy ecological issue. This contrast between lightness and heaviness not only enhances the drama and impact of the work, but also allows viewers to deeply contemplate the relationship between humans and nature while experiencing the beauty of the work.In addition, I have also found that transparent resins have unique advantages in expressing natural properties. By adjusting the transparency and color of the resin, I am able to simulate the mottled light and shadow of leaves, the rough texture of bark, and the softness and wrinkles of fabric. These delicate expressions make the work more natural and vivid. At the same time, the transparent resin material also creates a sense of flow and change in the space, as if the vitality and energy of nature are surging within it.
I firmly believe that the aesthetic appeal of an artwork is the foundation for conveying information and eliciting resonance. Therefore, when creating 'Intervention', I focused on shaping the form and texture of the work through exquisite craftsmanship and clever design, making it highly artistic and aesthetically appealing. The selection of transparent resin and the application of 3D printing technology not only present delicate and realistic textures in the works, but also create a mysterious and tragic atmosphere through the changes of light and shadow, attracting the attention of viewers and inspiring their emotional resonance.However, simply pursuing aesthetic appeal is not enough. As an artist, I am well aware of my mission to convey ecological information and awaken people's environmental awareness through art works. Therefore, when creating 'Intervention', I deliberately combined the images of trees and cloth to symbolize human interference and destruction of nature, and strengthened this ecological theme through the overall design and detail processing of the work. At the same time, I also incorporated the traditional tree shaped elements from Song Dynasty literati paintings into the sculpture, not only retaining the charm of classical Chinese aesthetics, but also making the work more in line with the aesthetic needs of modern people, making it easier for viewers to accept and understand.
Firstly, I chose "tree" and "cloth" as the core visual elements. Trees, as symbols of nature, represent life, growth, and harmony; And cloth represents the interference and coverage of human activities on nature. By combining these two together, I attempt to convey a strong contrast and conflict - the disharmony between the beauty of nature and human behavior.At the same time, by adjusting the size, form, and layout of the sculpture, I created a space that seemed oppressed and suffocated, allowing the audience to feel a strong sense of oppression while watching. This sense of oppression not only comes from the form and material of the sculpture itself, but also from the environmental consequences it implies - the destruction and deprivation of nature by human activities.In addition, I cleverly utilized the material properties of transparent resin, creating a mysterious and tragic atmosphere through the changes and refractions of light and shadow. This atmosphere not only enhances the visual impact of the work, but also allows the audience to generate more associations and thoughts while watching. They may think of the beauty and fragility of nature, the consequences and responsibilities of human activities, and even their relationship with the world.
Traditional Chinese aesthetics has always been one of the sources of inspiration for my creations. In my works, I drew inspiration from the tree shaped elements in Song Dynasty literati paintings and combined them with contemporary sculpture art to create works that have both classical charm and modernity. This cross era integration has made me realize that traditional Chinese aesthetics not only has a profound historical heritage, but also can be integrated with contemporary art language, radiating new vitality. Therefore, in my future works, I will continue to delve deeper into the essence of traditional Chinese aesthetics, attempting to combine it with more contemporary art forms to create more unique and charming artworks.Secondly, the development of contemporary technology has provided more possibilities for artistic creation. The 3D printing technology in the work is a typical example. Through this technology, I am able to shape works with unprecedented precision and efficiency, achieving effects that are difficult to achieve with traditional sculpture techniques. The application of this technology not only improves the production efficiency of works, but also brings more innovative space for the form and texture of works. Therefore, in future creations, I will pay more attention to the development of contemporary technology, explore its integration with artistic creation, and continuously promote innovation and development of art forms.Finally, environmental advocacy was one of the important driving forces behind my creation of 'Intervention'. Through this work, I hope to raise people's awareness of environmental issues and encourage them to re-examine their relationship with nature. In my future works, I will continue to focus on environmental issues and use artistic forms to convey environmental concepts and inspire more people's awareness of environmental protection. At the same time, I will also try to incorporate more environmentally friendly materials and sustainable design concepts into my works to achieve the dual value of art and environmental protection.
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