Featured Member: FS Board Member Mark Tan!
Mark Tan is a first-generation Canadian born and raised in Toronto by Filipino immigrants. He produces interactive sculptures made from reclaimed solid wood, found materials, and domestic construction building materials at an architectural scale. His work expresses the emotional value of preconceived notions, longing, and disconnectedness in seeking acceptance within a community. He received his MFA in Furniture Design & Woodworking in the Craft/Material Studies program at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, VA. His work has been exhibited internationally at exhibitions such as the Mesa Contemporary Arts Museum in Mesa, AZ., Hillyer Contemporary in Washington, D.C., Messler Gallery in Rockport, ME., Patterson-Appleton Gallery in Denton, TX., Fuller Craft Museum in Brockton, MA., Wharton Esherick Museum in Malvern, PA., Aspen Art Museum in Aspen, CO., and the DeLeon White Gallery at the Gladstone in Toronto, ON. He has participated in residencies at Arrowmont School of Arts & Crafts and the Windgate Artist in Residence at San Diego State University. He is currently an Assistant Professor of Sculpture/Wood at Arizona State University.
A short interview with Mark Tan:
Do you have a brief thought about the role of woodworking/craft/making in your life?
“This is such an interesting question since I just re-read my thesis paper during my time here at VSC. Woodworking started as a way of building things I needed for skateboarding and grew into a language through which I process identity and belonging. Making allows me to translate lived experiences into material form. It’s how I reflect on where I come from, where I am, and where I hope to go. Craft for me is more than skill, it’s storytelling and the pursuit of connection.”
Is there a favorite movie/podcast/book at the moment (bonus points if they relate to craft/design etc)?
“The World Beyond Your Head: On Becoming an Individual in an Age of Distraction”. Matthew Crawford, 2015. “The studio is a place where the mind and body work together. Our practices become a form of attention, a dialogue with materials that pushed back, surprises, and teaches.”
Is there a maker/woodworker who you think we should be looking at, who inspires you?