10 Questions with Daphne Ting-Yu Chu & Teng Xue

Daphne is a London-based multidisciplinary artist and lighting designer for interactive installations, spatial experiences, audiovisual arts and live performances. She has exhibited her art projects on the global stage and participated in over 200 lighting productions for arena-scale live events worldwide, including venues such as MGM Grand Garden Arena(Las Vegas), The O2 Arena(London), AccorHotels Arena(Paris), Qudos Bank Arena(Sydney), Singapore National Stadium, Stadium Negara(Kuala Lumpur), Nest-type Beijing Olympic Stadium. 

Her works combine visual/ sound art and technology to create interactive and immersive experiences. As a former researcher in the Interactive Architecture Lab, her research explores the disconnection between mind and body in tangible physical space and perceived space. She is interested in creating shifting perceptions of fluid space in continual flux through sensory perception to reshape people's experiences.

www.daphnechudesgin.com | @artandtech.ting

Teng is a multidisciplinary artist whose creative journey traverses the realms of architecture, virtual reality, installation art, film, and experiential design. He was a researcher at the Interactive Architecture Lab. He’s also the co-founder of Elixirt Studio. With a rich background in architecture, sociology and interaction design, Teng not only possesses the academic foundation and potential to excel in the creative field but also his unbridled belief in the boundless nature of creativity has led him down diverse and unconventional paths within the artistic industry.

His cognition of sociology, especially his unique understanding of queer culture, and his interest in the combination of body movement expression in projects bring unique perspectives, values and experiences to his artistic works. His works have been exhibited and featured in several international design and art festivals, including Beijing Design Week, SOLANA Light Festival, West Lake Art Center, and Ars Electronica.

www.tengx10.com | @teng_10_x

About the artists

At the close of 2023, new media artists Daphne Ting-Yu Chu and Teng Xue unveiled "Parallel," an interactive audiovisual installation that challenges the very essence of solitude in our hyperconnected world. This innovative project seamlessly fuses performance and experience, beckoning us into a realm where movement becomes a medium for crafting an immersive narrative rich with human interaction.

"Parallel" goes beyond traditional art installations by actively engaging its audiences. The experience is not a passive observation but a participatory journey. Sounds culled from solitary moments, digitally woven in real-time and visualized by lights and projection mapping based on our movements. The installation also employs dynamic mixed-media technologies, allowing elements to work harmoniously to propel us into a heightened sensorial engagement. The interplay of body movement, visuals and sounds creates a captivating environment that resonates with our inner peace.

"Parallel" is not merely an art piece; it is an exploration and experiment of the complexities of human connection and isolation. By merging the digital and physical elements, Daphne and Teng invite us to reflect on the multifaceted nature of solitude, urging us to ponder our place within the hyperconnected society.

—— Mohamed Benhadj, founder

INTERVIEW

You are an artistic duo. How did you meet, and why did you decide to work together?

Teng: We were both researchers at the Interactive Architecture Lab. Our diverse backgrounds converge within the lab's dynamic environment, creating collaboration where each individual contributes unique perspectives to interactive art projects. In 2022, we exhibited our own projects at the Ars Electronica Festival in Linz, Austria, where we were not only inspired by the works of new media artists from all over the world but also found that we have similar working styles and shared passion in art and design. This experience became the catalyst for our decision to work together.

Tell us more about your individual backgrounds, who you are, and how you started experimenting with interactive art.

Daphne: I have a background in live performance lighting, combining experiences in technology, design, and the arts. The transition from being a lighting designer for live events to a multidisciplinary artist focused on interactive installations and spatial experiences was driven by a desire to deepen the connection with the audience. The emphasis shifted from passive observation to active participation, achieved through the use of interactive technology to create immersive experiences.

Teng: My background is in architecture, special design, sociology studies and interaction art. Finding the way towards my true interest was a gradual and slow process. At my early stage, most of my works were more architectural-based. Later on, with the fundamental influence of my sociology study background, especially in queer studies and human body movement and interactive methods. My later stages of artwork became more multi-media based, more personal, more bold and more of an embodiment of identities and human connections.

How would you define yourself as an artist today? And is this definition different or in line with your duo's mission? 

Daphne: As artists today, we define ourselves as creators who use art and technology as a medium to evoke emotions and spark contemplation. We want to deliver narratives in a way that allows the audience not only to passively receive it but also be active co-creators who experience and participate in it. In our pursuit, both as individual artists and as a duo, we are committed to exploring the dynamic interplay between art and technology. We hope our narrative method can be a conduit for building connections – connections between the tangible and the abstract, between the artist and the audience, and between different realms of creativity.

Tell us about the process of creating your work. What is your artistic routine when working? Do you both work on a piece together or do you have specific roles? 

Daphne: Our creative process is a dynamic collaboration where both of us actively contribute to the conceptualization. Depending on our strengths, one of us frequently assumes a leading role in specific aspects. In my role as a creative technologist with a background in audiovisuals, I specialize in programming for sound and visual interaction, infusing the project with a technologically immersive experience. On the other hand, Teng, an architect with expertise in mixed reality and 3D modelling, focuses extensively on the production side, bringing a tangible, visually striking dimension to our projects. 

What would you like to communicate with your work? What are the main themes you pursue?

Daphne: Our work aims to communicate a sense of wonder, prompting viewers to question perceptions and explore the beauty in the intersection of the tangible and the abstract. Themes of connectivity, transformation, and the coexistence of contrasting elements resonate strongly in our creations.

You primarily work with light, which you use for installations, design pieces, and audiovisual projects. What does light represent for you? And why did you choose this subject specifically to work with? 

Daphne: As a lighting artist, I've been captivated by the allure of lights throughout my career. To me, light is a potent medium for storytelling. It has the remarkable ability to shape environments, evoke emotions, and create immersive experiences. As a dynamic force, light seamlessly interacts with sounds and visuals, infusing our projects with layers of meaning and sensory richness.

Speaking of light, let's talk about your Parallel project. Can you tell us more about it? How did you develop the project, and what did you want to communicate? 

Teng: Parallel is an interactive audiovisual light installation that is essentially about human connection. The starting point of this project was based on our shared personal experience as immigrants to the UK. All the way from East Asia, where the societies and cultures differ from the Western world. We want to express all the mixed feelings, ups and downs, and boundaries we have experienced in building human connections in this work. Still, we're not trying to build a narrative or tell a story through Parallel. We hope to visualize a form of human connection for everyone to truly feel and engage with. Parallel is about us, but it's not just about us; it's about you and every individual. 

You both work as individual artists; what do you think about the art community and market? And how does your perception change when working as a duo as opposed to presenting your solo work?

Teng: Based on our past experiences, we observe a positive trend in our art community towards greater inclusivity and diversity. However, it appears that certain centralization tendencies persist. Given our unique upbringings in China and Taiwan, we bring diverse perspectives and understand distinct art markets compared to the UK. While we recognize the unifying power of art, we firmly advocate for the decentralization of art in our society, emphasizing its importance in various forms. 

Daphne: We work as a duo but also as individual artists on our own projects. For me, presenting solo work allows for an intimate connection between the audience and my personal narratives, which allows my creative voice to resonate in a direct and personal dialogue with those who engage with my work. On the other hand, working as a duo sparks fresh interpretations that propel us beyond the confines of individual perspectives. It enriches not only our artistic process but also the conversation we have with our audience.

What are you working on now, and what are your plans for the future? Anything exciting you can tell us about?

Teng: Currently, we are gearing up for a couple of upcoming exhibitions in 2024, as well as our new project. We are immersed in a project that delves into the fusion of virtual and physical spaces. Our plans for the future involve expanding our exploration of immersive experiences and collaborating with other artists. Excitingly, we are in early discussions about a large-scale interactive installation for a public space, and we are looking forward to bringing it to life.

Finally, at the beginning of the year, what are your goals for 2024?

Teng: In 2024, our goals include pushing the boundaries of our artistic expression, exploring new technologies, and engaging in meaningful collaborations. We have some international exhibitions in 2024, and we are looking forward to sharing our work with diverse audiences. We hope it can open the door to more collaboration opportunities and engaging conversation within the art community.

Artist’s Talk

Al-Tiba9 Interviews is a promotional platform for artists to articulate their vision and engage them with our diverse readership through a published art dialogue. The artists are interviewed by Mohamed Benhadj, the founder & curator of Al-Tiba9, to highlight their artistic careers and introduce them to the international contemporary art scene across our vast network of museums, galleries, art professionals, art dealers, collectors, and art lovers across the globe.