From the factory to the exhibition, Ho Tang- Li employs metal forging to narrate the story of Taiwanese culture
Date：2025-07-11
The latest schedule for the Taichung City Artists Relay Exhibition features artist Ho Tang-Li, who presents the exhibition under the theme “Variations in Form and Essence" at the Huludun Cultural Center from July 11 to August 10. The exhibited works weave together elements of nature, childhood memories, and local culture, offering a profound dialog between metal as a medium and lived experience.
Born in Wufeng, Taichung in 1965, growing up in a family-run machinery factory and immersed in such an environment from an early age, he laid a solid foundation in both craftsmanship and aesthetics. After completing a specialized vocational program in design, he began working in commercial design. Driven by an unwavering passion for artistic creation, he taught himself metalworking in his spare time, starting with raising techniques learned from automotive sheet metal craftsmen. This pursuit eventually led him to apprentice under Japanese Living National Treasure Nakagawa Mamoru, and later to earn a master’s degree in Fine Arts from the National Taichung University of Education. His creative practice gradually evolved from making wearable accessories to exploring a diverse range of materials and styles, incorporating gemstones, lacquerware, and enamel. Guided by the philosophy of creating objects that convey happiness, he founded the brand Fu Chi Craft Studio in 2013, aiming to infuse everyday life with beauty and emotional resonance. His works have garnered several distinctions, including First Prize in the Jade Carving category of the Taiwan Jade Design Competition and First Place among Taichung City’s Top 10 Excellent Gifts. In 2023, he was recognized as a Taichung City Artisan.
Mr. Ho is known for his ability to explore the diverse expressive possibilities of metalwork, constructing a rich and layered visual language. he seeks to challenge conventional perceptions of metal by revealing its softness, fluidity, and capacity for reconfiguration. His creative inspiration draws from local culture, temple traditions, and Taiwan's landscapes, blending jade carving, lacquer art, enamel, and calligraphic aesthetics to narrate life stories, making it one of the most stylish contemporary craft exhibitions of the year. "Works lacking genuine emotion can seem hollow; incorporating one's own background and stories into the work is the key to touching people's hearts." His piece "Glimmering Forest," which resonates with nature and the human spirit, evokes the image of withered leaves falling in a forest through the processes of hammering and natural oxidation, reflecting the subtle light of life amidst the changing seasons. The jewelry series combines recycled brushes with metal to convey the beauty of green craftsmanship and regeneration; it is not merely jewelry but also a miniature spiritual journey through Eastern landscape imagery. We sincerely invite everyone to relish and appreciate these wonderful pieces of art.