The Country of Summer Insects

A nostalgic animated film by Chinese artist Tang Bohua, on the capital city of fireworks

Tang Bohua (TBH) was born in Liuyang, Hunan Province—the Chinese capital of fireworks—a city scattered with Buddhist temples where the locals would ask for protection from the hazards of their risky craft. During his childhood, temples were TBH’s playground. He was immersed in a world filled with traditional imagery of ancient sutra, fascinating tales and colorful frescos—a world that has been fading away and leaving …

Interview: Aaron De La Cruz

The San Francisco-based artist on his new Ace Hotel mural and embracing imperfections

by Eva Glettner Prolific artist Aaron De La Cruz was initially inspired to paint because he idolized his older brother. His now-signature style—which bounces from design, graffiti to illustration—is highly stylized and technical, blending influences from Mayan art to modern street stylings. While meticulously created, surprisingly, his large-scale murals are painted entirely freehand. The artist’s black and white silkscreened art graces the walls of Ace …

Charged: Shih Chieh Huang

A discussion with the 2014 TED Fellow and sculptor on his work that blends technology and nature

Since Marcel Duchamp and his bicycle wheel (and urinal), countless artists have included daily objects into their work. There may only be one, though, who uses them to create bioluminescent “living” organisms. Taiwanese-American artist Shih Chieh Huang’s unique approach to sculpture stems from his fascination with the intersection of technology and the natural world. A recently minted 2014 TED Fellow best known for his large-scale …