JUN ONG

Five questions, five answers with Jun Ong, artist of Edition 13.

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR ARTWORK FOR THIS EDITION IN ONE SENTENCE?

Polaris is a beacon formed at the energetic nexus of land, water and rail inspired by boat sails and navigational rituals.

WHAT ARE RITUALS IN YOUR PERSONAL LIFE THAT YOU VALUE?

I observe a personal ritual of spending at least 15-minutes for meditation and sound baths every day.

ARE THERE ANY RITUALS THAT INFLUENCE YOUR WAY OF WORKING?

Yes, my works are mostly site-specific, so I would usually try to experience and embrace the space and let it speak to me before conceiving an idea for the artwork.

IF YOU COULD PICK ONE PLACE IN AMSTERDAM FOR A PERMANENT ARTWORK OF YOURS, WHERE WOULD YOU LIKE IT TO BE?

It would have to be on the same spot, on a canal. I have a strong affinity to water, and I can't imagine a more exciting location for light sculpture to take place aside from on water. The field of light art is largely dominated by male artists.

HOW DO YOU THINK WE CAN STIMULATE TO HAVE A MORE DIVERSE AND INCLUSIVE BODY OF PARTICIPATING ARTISTS IN AMSTERDAM LIGHT FESTIVAL AND LIGHT ART IN GENERAL?

To me, light is a universal language. It brings together cultures but also breaks barriers. The role of a curator is pivotal in ensuring diversity in the participants. Asian representation is also key. There are many talents, male and female, in the world of tech and light art in where I come from in South East Asia, that would really benefit from a platform like Amsterdam Light Festival. Providing support is also important. Public installations can also be extremely complicated, laborious and challenging. So having a strong team supporting the artist will allow more participation from various artistic mediums and backgrounds.

ABOUT THE ARTIST

Jun Ong (MY,1988) is a Kuala Lumpur-based light artist. Trained as an architect, he examines how the manipulation of artificial light could affect the way we experience the built form and its environment. His work Star, a five-storey light installation in Penang was nominated for World's Best in Spatial Art at the Media Architecture Biennale in Sydney. His work has been featured at major art festivals like Art SG, Taiwan Lantern Festival, Art Central Hong Kong and iLight Marina Bay Singapore.