Compressions—Takming Chuang Solo Exhibition

Compressions, a solo exhibition of ink rubbings and sculptures by Takming Chuang.

Ink rubbing is a long-established, east Asian art form for the replication, study, and preservation of treasured objects. Historical examples of rubbings include ornamental carvings on jade seals and commemorative Chinese inscriptions on stone tablets. A thin sheet of damp paper forms a surface impression. Afterwards, delicate layers of ink are applied with a silk tamp until fine details emerge in high contrast. The result is a faithful and unique record of an artifact’s texture.

As an early printing method, rubbings retain the interpretive hand of the maker. Chuang adapts this tradition to investigate his personal archive of vernacular photographs, taken by the artist in the 90s – early 00’s as an adolescent/young adult. He traces or obscures the subjects of his pictures by incising outlines and inscriptions onto their surfaces. Each rubbing is a contemporary interpretation of Chuang’s past at home, at school, at work, and during travels.

When asked about the photographic medium, “I needed to see my association to people and places through the established format of a 4 x 6 inch picture as evidence of my development.

Over 20 years later, these images evidence substantial exterior and interior change. ”In addition to framed work, Chuang’s sculptures incorporate his original photographs and ink
rubbings with hand-bent wire armatures, plastic wrapped clay, and page protectors to evoke material and corporeal memory. A defiant sense of preservation is at play as well as a
melancholic acknowledgement of impermanence.

Born in New York City (1978), Takming Chuang currently lives in San Francisco and works in Oakland. Chuang’s studio practice is informed by the range of emotions that arise between accepting and rejecting change. Shifts in his own physical and emotional body guide experimental processes in sculpture, printmaking, photography, and installation. The subject of conservation is often highlighted and simultaneously subverted in his work.

Chuang has exhibited at SculptureCenter NY, the Hessel Museum at Bard College NY, Camden Arts Centre London, and the Berkeley Art Museum among other institutions. He received an MFA in Art Practice from the University of California, Berkeley where he occasionally lectures, and a BA in Economics from the State University of New York, Binghamton. Chuang’s work is in the collection of the Berkeley Art Museum.