We all know that ceramics show–the one where the room is a sea of so many bulky white pedestals that you can hardly see the work. Is it a show of bold ceramic objects, or a show of old crusty pedestals? This is a pervasive conundrum because so many objects absolutely necessitate some sort of pedestal. Enter, the pedestal problem. Work often needs to be elevated, presented, given a platform distinct from its surrounds, or perhaps made cohesive through systematic display. How does work extend beyond its own materiality into space, and into a viewing or interactive experience? Where does work begin and end? How can we expand our conception of ‘the pedestal’?

In this Studio Session we consider display methods with a focus upon creative intent and emotional response. We’ll look at traditional pedestals alongside contemporary alternatives, bases, external armatures, supportive hardware, and exhibition formats that uncover, elevate, and accentuate what’s really being shown. Whether it’s a small discrete object, a massive multi-part sculpture, something functional, a performance, or an installation, it is essential for artists to consider how our work meets the world.

Born in New York City (1978), Takming Chuang lives in San Francisco and works in Oakland. Chuang’s studio practice is informed by the range of emotions that arise between accepting and rejecting change. Shifts in his own physical and emotional states guide experimental processes in sculpture, printmaking, photography, and installation. The subject of conservation is often highlighted and simultaneously subverted in his work.

Chuang has exhibited at SculptureCenter NY, the Hessel Museum of Art NY, and the Berkeley Art Museum CA among other institutions. Residencies include the Camden Arts Centre and Slade School of Fine Art UK, Watershed Center for the Ceramic Arts ME, and Headlands Center for the Arts’ CA Graduate Fellowship and Affiliate programs. Chuang received his MFA in Art Practice from the University of California, Berkeley where he occasionally lectures, and a BA in Economics from the State University of New York, Binghamton. His first solo exhibition in Asia, titled Compressions, takes place at San Gallery in his family’s hometown of Tainan, Taiwan from Dec 9, 2023 thru February 25, 2024.

This session took place in January 2024.