Tranquility (靜謐)
ClassificationsSculpture
Date2019
Made AtTaiwan, Asia
MediumTitanium, sapphire, diamond, and pigment
Dimensions7 7/8 × 11 13/16 × 9 7/16 in. (20 × 30 × 24 cm)
Credit LineGift of Aka Chen in Honor of Chairwoman Anne Shih
Object number2024.16.1
DescriptionArtist Statement: "Through this titanium sculpture, I wish to express a chan Buddhist realm, the power of tranquility. The bird stands on a branch quietly, as if integrating itself into earth and sky. This tranquility is a respect of nature, a search of inner soul, inspiring people to seek moment of peace beyond the material world."Titanium, an immensely challenging material due to its high melting point and hardness, is at the heart of Aka Chen’s artistic production. Since first researching and fashioning jewelry from titanium in 1994, Aka Chen has been pioneering and marrying traditional metalworking techniques with innovative practices. This includes sculpting at extraordinarily high temperatures and a novel approach to metal treatment—carving the metal underwater with precision tools typically reserved for medical procedures. Once the metal has been shaped, the titanium undergoes an anodization process to unveil a brilliant iridescent sheen. The culmination of this meticulous process is the setting of gemstones on the metal that complement and enhance each other, transforming the pieces into sophisticated, unique artworks.
On View
Not on viewCollections
1572-1620 CE
770-256 BCE
mid 20th Century
late 20th Century