Laurens Tan
{{short description|Dutch-born Australian artist and designer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2020}}
{{Use Australian English|date=June 2020}}
{{Infobox artist
| name = Laurens Tan
| image = Laurens Tan, Portrait (2017).jpg
| caption = Laurens Tan in 2017.
| nationality = Australian
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1950|08|07}}
| birth_place = Den Haag, Netherlands
| field = Sculpture, 3D Design, 3D Animation
| training = {{Plainlist|
}}
| awards = {{Indented plainlist|
- {{awd|name=Whyalla Art Prize, SA|1980}}
- {{awd|name=Fisher's Ghost Open Art Prize, NSW|2005}}
- {{awd|name=Commissioned Feature Artist, Art Asia Miami, Art Basel, FL|2011}}
- {{awd|name=Commissioned Artist, Empire Bookends, University of Chicago, Beijing, CN|2014}}
- {{awd|name=Commissioned Artist, CNY Lantern Project, City of Sydney, NSW|2019}}
}}
}}
Laurens Tan (born 7 August 1950, died 20 January 2025) was a multidisciplinary Australian artist. His work includes sculpture, 3D animation, video, and graphics, and is influenced by architectural and industrial design. He lived and worked in Sydney, Beijing, and Las Vegas.{{Cite web|url=http://theartlife.com.au/2013/laurens-tan-art-as-a-vehicle-for-thinking/|title=Laurens Tan: "Art as a Vehicle for Thinking" – The Art Life|website=theartlife.com.au|access-date=2018-08-10}}
His work has been exhibited at the Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston, Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Art Gallery of New South Wales, and the Sydney Powerhouse Museum.
Education and career
Tan completed his Doctor of Creative Arts (DCA) thesis "The Architecture of Risk" at University of Technology Sydney, following his academic career as cultural studies educator at the School of Creative Arts at the University of Wollongong (1987-1991). He was an adjunct professor at Tianjin Academy of Fine Arts (2006-) and La Trobe University (2011-) and taught at other undergraduate and graduate arts programs in the United States, Australia, and China.{{Cite web|url=http://artatrium.com.au/laurens-tan/|title=Laurens Tan – Art Atrium|website=artatrium.com.au|access-date=2018-08-28}}
Tan served as a board member of the Asian Australian Art Association (which runs the 4A Centre for Contemporary Asian Art) in Sydney from 1998 to 2008,{{Cite news|url=http://www.4a.com.au/about-4a/alumni/|title=Alumni |work=4A Centre for Contemporary Asian Art|access-date=2018-08-28}} and as Artist Advisory Group Member at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Sydney from 2004 to 2006.
Work
His work is informed by Chinese heritage, language and meaning. Since his early Beijing series of work, he utilises the form of the sanlunche (Chinese tricycle) to convey the complexity of change in China under economic and cultural transformation.{{Cite web|url=http://theartlife.com.au/2013/snakey-style/|title=Snakey Style – The Art Life|website=theartlife.com.au|date=9 March 2013 |access-date=2018-08-10}}
Tan's earlier works from 1990 to 1999 include Re-sited References (Retrospective) at the Queensland University Art Museum (1990), Adapt Enforce V at the Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts (1992), Games & Voices at Macquarie Galleries (1992), Gallery 14 Contemporary Artists Series at the Queensland Art Gallery (1993), Profile of a Counter at Banff Centre in Alberta, Canada (1998), IndyCar Slot at Gold Coast Arts Centre (1998), and Octomat at World Gaming Expo & Congress in Las Vegas.{{Cite web|url=https://tallybeckcontemporary.com/laurens-tan-bio|title=Laurens Tan bio — Tally Beck Contemporary|website=tallybeckcontemporary.com|access-date=2018-08-10}} He was also part of the international touring exhibition “Elvis + Marilyn: 2 x Immortal” that was shown in the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston and eleven other American museums (1995).{{Cite web|url=https://camh.org/event/elvis-marilyn-2-x-immortal/|title=Elvis + Marilyn: 2 X Immortal {{!}} Contemporary Arts Museum Houston|website=camh.org|access-date=2018-08-11}}
As a Las Vegas resident, his art was often inspired by the unique visual culture of the city.{{Cite news|url=http://dtlv.com/2016/03/14/see-artist-laurens-tans-3d-artwork-gone/|title=See Artist Laurens Tan's 3D Artwork Before It's Gone — DTLV|date=2016-03-14|work=DTLV|access-date=2018-08-28}} His work in the United States includes Babalogic in the Desert at the Sahara West Library in Las Vegas, shown from 2017 to 2018.{{Cite news|url=https://lvccld.org/babalogic-in-the-desert/|title=Babalogic in the Desert|access-date=2018-08-28}}
In 2008, he was commissioned to create "Babalogic" for the survey exhibition 2D/3D Negotiating Visual Languages, curated by Wu Hung at the PKM Gallery in Beijing.{{Cite web|url=http://www.pkmgallery.com/exhibitions/2008-08-01_2d-and-3d/|title=2D and 3D - August 1 - September 28, 2008 - PKM Gallery|last=exhibit-E.com|website=www.pkmgallery.com|access-date=2018-08-28}} He was included in two following exhibitions in Beijing curated by Dong Bingfeng: Asian Landmark at the Iberia Center of Contemporary Art (2010),{{Cite web|url=http://www.artlinkart.com/en/exhibition/overview/2afaxumm|title=Asian Landmark - Toyota Art Project {{!}} exhibition {{!}} ARTLINKART {{!}} Chinese contemporary art database|last=ARTLINKART|website=www.artlinkart.com|access-date=2018-08-28}} and “Fat Art 2” at the Today Art Museum (2010).{{Cite web|url=https://swlasvegas.macaronikid.com/events/5a9b2a4af96a10511797d9ad/babalogic-in-the-desert|title=Macaroni Kid|website=swlasvegas.macaronikid.com|access-date=2018-08-28}} Other key Beijing exhibitions include ShiWaiTaoYuan, a public art commission at The Opposite House in Beijing (2012). This work continues his synthesis of heritage in contemporary as well as Tan's signature tricycles, alluding to the rapid modernization in contemporary Chinese culture.{{Cite news|url=https://fadmagazine.com/2010/11/13/the-opposite-house-beijing-hosts-china-toy-stories-by-laurens-tan/|title=The Opposite House, Beijing hosts China Toy Stories by Laurens Tan - FAD Magazine|date=2010-11-13|work=FAD Magazine|access-date=2018-08-28}}
Tan's work has been curated at various contemporary museums and galleries Asia, such as the Kuandu University Art Museum, Taipei Taiwan (2011),{{Cite web|url=http://www.kdmofa.tnua.edu.tw/en/index.php?REQUEST_ID=bW9kPWV4JnBhZ2U9YXJ0aXN0JkVJRD05MSZBSUQ9MjUxJllZPTIwMTEmTVQ9NQ==|title=My Australia - Kuandu Museum of Fine Arts|last=www.no1.com.tw|first=Design by 中壹資訊|website=www.kdmofa.tnua.edu.tw|access-date=2018-08-28}} PKM Gallery in Beijing (2008), Shizuoka Prefectural Art Museum in Japan, and Seoul National University Museum of Art and Gana Galleries in Seoul
He was co-curator for the show Always on My Mind: Home at the Seoul National University Museum of Art (2011).{{Cite web|url=http://www.vmspace.com/2008_re/eng/sub_news_view.asp?SearchDateS=&SearchDateE=&idx=5677&pageNum=24|title=SPACE Magazine|website=www.vmspace.com|access-date=2018-08-28}}
Tan was commissioned by the City of Sydney to build three giant “See No Evil, Hear No Evil, Speak No Evil” monkeys at the Sydney Opera House in celebration of the Lunar New Year. This particular work was in installation from 2016 to 2018.{{Cite web|url=https://whatson.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/events/lunar-lanterns-the-monkey|title=Lunar Lantern: The Monkey {{!}} What's On - City of Sydney|website=What's On - City of Sydney|access-date=2018-08-10}} His piece Speed/Sudu was commissioned for the Murray Art Museum Albury (MAMA) in 2016.{{Cite news|url=https://www.mamalbury.com.au/see-and-do/exhibitions/past-exhibitions/speed-the-fast-And-the-curious|title=SPEED: The Fast and The Curious|access-date=2018-08-10}}
In 2014, he was commissioned by the University of Chicago to create Empire Bookends: Basketcase, a solo exhibition in the university's Beijing Center.{{Cite web|url=https://www.uchicago.cn/events/opening-reception-for-empire-bookends-basketcase-a-new-exhibition-of-works/|title=Opening Reception for Empire Bookends: Basketcase, A New Exhibition of Works by Laurens Tan {{!}} Center in Beijing {{!}} The University of Chicago|website=www.uchicago.cn|access-date=2018-08-10}}
In 2016, he was commissioned to create Depth of Ease CNY, a solo exhibit of three separate works, for Zappos Downtown in Las Vegas.{{Cite news|url=https://knpr.org/knpr/2016-03/zappos-and-art-las-vegas|title=Zappos And Art In Las Vegas|work=Nevada Public Radio|access-date=2018-08-10}}
In 2017, he was named Visiting Artist at the Neon Museum in Las Vegas.{{Cite web|url=http://www.austchinaalumni.org.cn/web/award/en/?_index=_winners&categoryID=1&year=2017|title=Winners and Finalists|website=www.austchinaalumni.org.cn|access-date=2018-08-28}}
Collections
His artwork was acquired by the Marjorie Barrick Museum at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas in 2018,{{Cite web|url=https://www.unlv.edu/news-story/announcing-spring-2018-exhibitions|title=Announcing Spring 2018 Exhibitions |website=www.unlv.edu|date=22 December 2017 |access-date=2018-08-28}} and Deakin University in Melbourne in 2018.{{Cite web|url=https://izi.travel/en/2584-deakin-university-sculpture-walk-burwood/en#28ad814f-0d70-4c93-9773-6043ca3e9696|title=Deakin University Sculpture Walk, Burwood|website=izi.TRAVEL|access-date=2018-08-28}} His work is also included in the collections of Queensland Art Gallery, Art Gallery of Western Australia, Artbank and Wollongong Art Gallery.
Gallery
{{gallery |width=200 |height=200
|File:Adapt Enforce (Installation, 1991).jpg| Adapt Enforce, 1991, Laurens Tan, Art Gallery of NSW, Sydney NSW.
|File:Adapt Enforce II (i) (Sculpture, 1992).jpg| Adapt Enforce II, 1992, Laurens Tan, Queensland Art Gallery, Brisbane QLD.
|File:Adapt Enforce II (ii) (Sculpture, 1992).jpg| Adapt Enforce II, 1992, Laurens Tan, Wollongong Art Gallery, Wollongong NSW.
|File:Laurens Tan, Portrait - As Weeks Go By (2017).jpg| As Weeks Go By, 2005, Laurens Tan, Deakin University, Burwood, VIC.
|File:As Weeks Go By (Sculpture, 2005).jpg| As Weeks Go By, 2005, Laurens Tan, Deakin University, Burwood, VIC.
|File:Dan Sheng (Birth) (i) (Sculpture, 2007).jpg| Dan Sheng (Birth), 2007, Laurens Tan, Las Vegas City Hall, NV.
|File:Dan Sheng (Birth) (ii) (Sculpture, 2007).jpg| Dan Sheng (Birth), 2007, Laurens Tan, Las Vegas City Hall, NV.
|File:Code (Video art, 2009).jpg| Code, 2009, Laurens Tan, ANZ Australian Film Festival, San Li Tun Village, Beijing.
|File:Laurens Tan - Babalogic Portrait (2009).jpg| Babalogic, 2009, Laurens Tan
|File:Babalogic II (Sculpture, 2011).jpg| Babalogic II, 2011, Laurens Tan, PKM Gallery, Beijing.
|File:Empire Bookends (Installation, 2014).jpg| Empire Bookends, 2014, Laurens Tan, University of Chicago Beijing Center, Haidian.
|File:Three Wise Monkeys (Sculpture, 2016).jpg| Three Wise Monkeys, 2016, Laurens Tan, Sydney Opera House, Sydney NSW.
|File:Ox Lantern (Sculpture, 2019).jpg| Ox Lantern, 2019, Laurens Tan, Lunar New Year Festival 2019, Sydney NSW.
}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{commons category|Laurens Tan}}
- [https://www.laurenstan.com Laurens Tan] – website owned and maintained by the artist. Includes examples of past and contemporary works in portfolio, as well as additional links and information on the artist.
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tan, Laurens}}
Category:University of Technology Sydney alumni
Category:20th-century Australian artists
Category:Australian people of Chinese descent