Ching Ching Cheng was born in Taiwan and immigrated to the United States eleven years ago. She received her BFA from Art Center College of Design. She works in painting, drawing, sculpture and installation, influenced by historical and personal cultural experiences from one place to another. She exhibited at LACMA Rental and Sales Gallery, Chinese American Museum, colleges, universities and art fairs through out the United States, and attended an artist-in-residency program at 943 Studio in Kunming, China in 2011. Timothy Yarger Fine Art is currently representing her sculptures series.
Links:
chingchingcheng.com (website)
“Build” is a series of works that explore identities found in everyday life from different perspectives. The works are a portrait of myself as artist, wife and mother. These sculptures are inspired by the contrast between Taiwanese and American culture.
In the past, human beings built shelters for their families. Even in some cultures today, people still physically build shelters. As long as people have the ability to physically construct a home, or virtually build a home, we are always adapting and changing our environment. At the same time, our identities are also adapting and being changed by what surrounds us.
An Interview with Ching Ching Cheng:
What inspired you to become an artist?
I always have been enjoyed any form of art making since I was a child. Finally I was able to go to art school and became an artist when I came to the United States in 2001.
What inspires you to make so many images so passionately?
The themes of my work always come from my personal experiences. That’s why I am always passionate when I create the piece.
You live in Altadena. Does the city inspire your work?
Yes of course. I was born in Taiwan, and moved to Los Angeles in 2001. I had lived in Santa Monica, Westwood, Downtown LA, San Gabriel, and now Altadena. American culture and Taiwanese culture are already very different, and even each city has its own sub-culture.
How do you integrate your art and design approaches? Or are they separate in your experiences of them?
It all depends on who is the clients you are working for I think. Art and design are the same if I am working on a piece for myself.
What would you consider to be your aesthetic, and how does it show itself in your work?
I use many different mediums for different series. Sometimes just watercolor on paper, but sometimes I use found books and maps. It can be a painting, a sculpture or an installation. Different series can look very different from one to another, but there is always a hard and soft, push and pull juxtaposition in them.
What does it feel like when you are working?
I enjoy the focus I have when I am working. I am always multi-tasking through out the day, and when I finally have a few hours in my studio, I enjoy the luxury I have to be able to not think about anything else but making art.
Describe your relationship with your work.
I do different series, and they reflect on the different part of my brain I think. I also like to work on two series at once sometimes. One is more of a repetitive work, and the other is more of a challenging piece.
When did you begin ‘creating’ and why?
I started when I went to school here in the United States in 2001. I went to Santa Monica College first, and then transfer to Art Center College of Design. I always liked making art before then, but it was only a hobby because I was majored in Material Engineering and Science.
Are you working on anything right now that feels like new ground in your body of work?
After being a mom, I started my new series: Build. Found aprons are the main medium for this series. It is different from my previous series and I am very excited working in the studio and see what the new series will take me!
How would you describe your voice as an artist?
Subtle but strong.
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