CAMDEN Nature and technology fuse with Taoist philosophy to create an entirely new artistic medium in the innovative and visionary work of artist LiQin Tan.
In his new book, Digital Natural Art, Tan, an assistant professor of fine arts at Rutgers UniversityCamden, offers a comprehensive look into the world created when high art and natural elements collide with graphic design and technology.
As a digital artist, pioneering new art forms has had a tremendous impact on contemporary art trends in the last decade. I am excited that this catalogue is one of few personal digital art collections published in the world, says Tan of the 130-page work.
The Rutgers-Camden artist cites Chinese Taoist thought and digital animation as major influences on his work. He reenvisions the five fundamental elements in Chinese Taoism - wood, water, metal, fire, and earth - by using three dimensional animation and computer-generated design. In his Burl + 4 Series - burl meaning wood - Tan prints on or projects onto real wood, then offers even more perspective by broadcasting the image onto LCD televisions.
We need to free our minds and spirit from what we are already familiar with to use the complete capability of cyberspace to create and appreciate digital nature, says Tan.
Tans work has received recognition from major art galleries across the country, including the Los Angeles Center for Digital Art.
After creating these works, I've realized that technology can be intensely cathartic. Cyberspace alters the way we seek out natural beauty and the timing behind our appreciation of it, says Tan.
A former brush-figure painting instructor in Hengyang Teachers College in China and artist for Disneys Saturday morning cartoons, Tan currently teaches three-dimensional animation and multimedia courses at Rutgers-Camden.
Born in China, he lives in Cherry Hill.
For nore informaiton about Digital Natural Art," visit www.tanimation.net.
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