An exhibition showcasing metal artworks and items of jewelry by Ruan Weng-mong is underway at the Museum of Contemporary Art Taipei, offering visitors an opportunity to explore the acclaimed Taiwan designer’s extravagant creations.
Running until Dec. 4, the event displays a variety of works produced by Ruan since 1997, including Original Decoration, a brass sculpture in the shape of a human head; Ruts of Homeland, a broach made of agate, ebony and silver; and Seeds of Life, a metal painting created using lacquer and metallic powders.
The pieces on display highlight the artist’s diverse interests and talents. “I like to cross boundaries and experiment in terms of both subject and materials,” the 64-year-old explained during a Nov. 25 discussion at the museum for members of the Taiwan Creative Jewelry Designer Association.
Ruan encouraged the designers in attendance to be daring, noting that he begins projects without regard to the cost, even though his pieces are often very expensive owing to his frequent use of precious stones.
In both his art and career, the artist has demonstrated a penchant for making adventurous choices. A sculpture major in college, he joined a team sent by the Republic of China (Taiwan) government to Swaziland in 1976 to offer instruction on creating handicrafts. During his time in the ROC diplomatic ally in southern Africa, he taught woodcarving to locals and learned about gemstone cutting and polishing.
Ruan moved to Germany in 1979 to undertake vocational training in metal art and jewelry-making. Since 1989, he has served as design director for several jewelry companies in the European country.
Over the past decades, Ruan has helped strengthen ties between metal artists and jewelry-makers in Taiwan and Germany. Notably, he was the curator of a major exhibition in 2012 at the Gold Museum in New Taipei City that featured nearly 500 metal artworks shipped from Germany.
Ruan’s current goal is to share his decades of experience in the fields of metal art and jewelry design. He plans to launch an educational project in February 2017 to create an online knowledge database, as well as cooperate with schools and private organizations in Taiwan and elsewhere on providing hands-on training. (OC-E)
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