WEI HUANG

From Reluctant To Inspired

Becoming an artist /sculptor never crossed Wei Huang’s mind although he inherently displayed an inclination towards the profound and the beautiful. He had always been creative and had an eye for detail. Even as a child, pottery, woodwork, object making and carpentry were skills that he excelled in. When his father, KY Huang, had to undergo a series of heart procedures, Wei Huang took time off of his corporate career to help his father at the studio, fulfilling commitments to customers. It was then that Wei developed skills in sculpting and discovered his penchant for conceptualising artistic ideas, designing and creating. Most of Wei’s works are based on memories, encounters and experiences while growing up. All his sculptures, processed creatively as well as intellectually, are iconic in their resonance with deep social and historical relevance.  He uses an intellectual and conceptual approach in his creation process. His works are often described as having strong and meaningful concepts, iconic and striking themes, pleasing yet balanced compositions and objects of exquisite beauty.

He did, after all, come from a lineage of talents. His maternal grand-uncle was the renowned and successful regional artist, Lee Man Fong, while his father is a sought after local sculptor and artist. When some of Wei’s prototypes were shown to the Bruno Art Group, they made an instant impression. Bruno Art recognised his raw talent and included one of his works in their exhibits for an upcoming art fair. The response to his work and favourable public reaction signalled the start of more exhibitions in destinations like Jakarta, Manila, Seoul, Singapore, India, Israel and the USA.

Making  the transition to the world of art, especially sculpture came naturally to Wei albeit with some understandable reluctance. He had to switch smart business suits, back-to-back meetings and the buzz of corporate talks to casual tees, sculpting tools and equipment, studio production schedules and the chatter of foundry shop talk. However, he managed the transition gracefully and successfully.

He had always been creative and had an eye for detail. Even as a child, pottery, woodwork, object making and carpentry were skills that he excelled in. All these attributes of his personality are visible in Wei’s horses with their exquisite majesty, strength and beauty. The Knights series shows the sculptor’s love of chess. However, the jewel in his series of works are the teddy bears. He involves both sculpting and painting in this outstanding series. The sculpture becomes a canvas for a variety of motifs and stories spontaneously added. It is a series, yet each teddy bear strikes a different pose and tells a different story.

Says Wei, “I am gifted with intuition in any given situation, whether encountering a rare orchid bloom or confronted with something ultra-scientific. I use this gift as a guide towards understanding how the object is designed and created.”

In the beginning, Wei might have been a little reluctant, but now he is a sculptor who is inspired to express through his art and narrate and relate to his audiences.