Metal and steel take flight on artist’s fancy

2014-08-07

Infusing art with technology, a central Taiwan artist has created butterflies made of steel and wires that spring to life at the sound of handclaps.

Nantou County-based Teng Han-tsung specializes in art installations animated by engineering know-how. The tech-savvy artist was a typical science geek who ran an information technology company before taking up art at the age of 41 in 2002.

Teng’s initial creative forays into such fields as photography were tech-free, but his mechanical and electrical bent manifested itself as he progressed to installation art.

Motivated by a relentless quest for beauty, Teng recently completed a master’s degree at Chiayi County-based Nanhua University’s Department of Visual and Media Arts.

Art is inanimate for most people, but Teng wants to create living artworks that move and interact with the spectators. “I would like to bring art alive and share the joy of creating with my audience.”

Leveraging his mechanical knowledge, Teng turns everyday objects and utensils into building blocks of art. Electric wires, motors, network cables and telephone sets are given a new life in his hands.

Currently on display at Lukang Osmanthus Alley Artist Village in Changhua County, Teng’s art projects combine whimsical humor with shiny steel frames. Robot butterflies are equipped with motors to power their steel-framed wings, fluttering at the sound of clapped hands.

A giant glockenspiel made from steel spheres strung together with metal wire begins to play once people rub their hands on the balls, the static electricity sparking the music.

Biological and mechanical mechanisms become the human interface for communicating with art. Teng’s life experiences and professional knowledge come together in his innovative pursuit of beauty, transcending the rigid confines enforced by disciplinary demarcation.

“With just the right amount of creativity and imagination, life can be more fun and art more accessible,” he said.

Source: Taiwan Today (http://taiwantoday.tw/ct.asp?xItem=220352&CtNode=413)