Xia Hang Sculptures

“Play with sculpture” is the concept behind Chinese artist Xia Hang’s sculptures. The sense of “play” in his work is intended to encourage us to break with our common understanding of sculpture while Hang leads us to comprehend the art form instead as a means of modern and joyful visual expression.

Hang uses new and old technology to create sculptures. He applies computer algorithms to make every element a mortise and tenon joint, while referencing a traditional Chinese architecture technique in his merging of metal and glass components. In Hang’s sculptures, “mechanical” is no longer perceived as a negative term to indicate massive production — a heartless connection between people and monotonous or dull movement. Instead, mechanical becomes a descriptor for a romantic experience that brings us back to our childhood, a naïve era full of imagination and creativity.

Hang was born in 1978 in Shenyang, Liaoning Province, China. He graduated with a bachelor of fine arts degree from the Lu Xun Academy of Fine Arts before going on to earn master's in fine arts in the sculpture department at China’s Central Academy of Fine Arts.

In 2008, Hang had his first solo exhibition, “Please Don’t Touch,” in Beijing. Two years later he had another solo show called “Play & Fun” in Shanghai. Hang also actively takes part in many group exhibitions around the world. Collectors of his work are mainly from China, Taiwan, Singapore, Moscow, Monaco, Geneva and elsewhere.

Find Xia Hang art on 1stDibs.