Sculpture

1997

Length:39.4 x Width:28 x Height:90 (cm)

Chen Ting-Shih (1913-2002, Changle, Fujian) was born into a literary family and trained from a young age in calligraphy, painting, and seal carving. During wartime upheaval in his youth, he adopted the pen name “Erh Shih” and produced hand-carved woodblock illustrations, which were printed directly onto publications. After relocating to Taiwan, Chen transitioned to modern printmaking and became a key figure in Taiwan’s contemporary art movement. He represented Taiwan in numerous international biennials and received first prize at the 1970 Korea International Print Biennale for his print Hibernation. In 1958, Chen co-founded the Modern Print Association with Lee Shi-Chi and Chiang Han-Tong, and actively participated in artist groups such as the Fifth Moon Group and the Modern Eye Art Society. In his later years, he turned to collecting scholar’s rocks and creating welded iron sculptures. His iconic piece Johnnie Walker was featured in the volume Masters of Iron and Space, securing his place in the global history of twentieth-century sculpture. Chen’s sculptures were typically assembled from discarded industrial materials, such as shipbreaking scrap metal, turbine blades, broken household items, and fragments of antique folk objects. Through cutting and welding, he transformed these rusted remnants into softened, abstract forms. The marks of age and use were not erased but recontextualized, becoming new visual symbols imbued with fresh life and aesthetic meaning.
Secret Mechanism is assembled from discarded industrial components. A rusted red exhaust pipe and a circular element are suspended alongside curved iron parts on a square iron tube. The entire structure rests on a square iron plate as its base. Several U-shaped pieces are interlocked across the central bar, creating a visual rhythm that resembles the structure of a heavy lock. The title suggests a sense of concealment or restricted access. The physical configuration evokes the impression of something sealed, hinting at an unknown inner mechanism or a hidden story. Rather than presenting a fixed narrative, the work leaves space for open interpretation, encouraging viewers to consider what may lie beneath its industrial surface.

Accession number:20170300096