Between Something and Nothing

Wongil Jeon / Resident Artist in THAV

Most of Chao-Tsai’s works are interactive and playful pieces, but look very formal and well finished. At first glance they seem more like antique furniture from a noble family.

However, his work has a simple mechanical system, to make it work properly, he might have failed several times, redesigning and reconstructing. I am not sure he was thinking about the aesthetic aspect during the production of his work. In my personal view, he is showing just meaningless movement by operating people who know the system.

After a beautiful lunch prepared by the artist Chiu Chao-Tsai’s family recipe I thought he is talking about life consisting of simple and meaningless motions. Although our movement; walking, opening door, riding bicycle, sitting on a seat is has no meaning in itself, but without these kind of actions we cannot maintain our life.

One more thing I thought is that what is art?  If something has an actual function for our life’s needs, then it is not art? It could be a piece of furniture or a real machine. His sculpture is somehow toy-like, but not as exciting as when people play with it like in an amusement park. If his work was really enjoyable it would be treated as play equipment.

I think his work is staying between something and nothing or in the middle of something and something. I like the absence of expression as we are living in an ornate and boastful world. I am happy since I grasped two rabbits at once, beautiful food and unforgettable sculpture.