'What contribution does art actually make to humanity?' A science student asked me when I was studying art in the university back in the old days. At that moment, I thought to myself, isn't it obvious? The contribution of art to humanity is to make our lives more interesting and richer! This may be a simplified answer, and if we delve deeper, there are certainly many layers and dimensions to explore. But for me, this simple idea is the primary driving force behind my artistic creation.
Life is often filled with setbacks and frustrations, and sorrow and pain are inevitable. Therefore, I hope to create things that are visually pleasing, bringing a bit of joy to life. However, there may already be too many purely aesthetic work in the world, so I also hope my pieces can tell stories— stories that connect people with the world and evoke a sense of resonance. This is often the starting point for my creative process.
Among the various forms of artistic expression, I am particularly fond of sculpture and installation art. I often find it fascinating to use my hands to shape a three-dimensional form. Since childhood, I’ve loved crafting things by hand. Often, I would grab whatever materials were at hand and transform them into three-dimensional objects — like making miniature rocking chairs or toy guns out of ice cream sticks, or crafting toys from discarded materials like bamboo, paper, tin cans, and twine. I didn’t need to draw a plan or prepare ahead; the idea was already formed in my mind.
During my secondary school years, I began working with ceramics and experienced for the first time the joy of shaping clay. This further fueled my interest in constructing three-dimensional forms from various materials. In the university, I focused on ceramics and sculpture, marking the beginning of my journey into three-dimensional art. To this day, I continue to explore the characteristics of different materials, striving to showcase the unique qualities and possibilities of materials such as paper, bamboo, wood, glass, and metal in my sculptures and installations.