Chen Ting-Shih’s iron sculpture has four qualities: First, most of his materials come from scrap iron parts of broken ships, industrial turbine blade hinges, damaged daily necessities, and broken bones. Most of them are all rusty and staggered, and all the elements are marked with scars after all these years, waiting for rebirth. Second, they are all cut from the original old elements and assembled into a completely new piece of art. It not only bears the history of the old items but also has the prospect of new life, knowing the old and the new will complement each other. Third, these three-dimensional works are like his prints. He put much emphasis on the circular base, which brings out the softness of the iron while tracing the roots of life. Fourth, these sculptures are welded with different items and therefore, the process of assembly must be carried out in an all-round way to make sure they are all in the right position. We should admire the works from different angles since every detail will be pleasing to the eyes.
His Later works, with more complicated structures, may be quite strange yet familiar. It will make us recall so many memories while bring us to an unknown aesthetic adventure. Chen lets us know a whole new way to express and connect ourselves with the world and he also shows us the relation between us and all the other creatures in the world.
