With physical and online exhibition launched simultaneously, "An In-depth Exploration of Charcoal & Salt (『炭˙鹽』觀止)" exhibition will display sculptor Luo Kuang-wei's (羅廣維) works of charcoal and salt sculptors at the National Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall from Mar. 25 to Feb. 12, 2023. Works on display include "Peace (和平)," "Robustness & Dauntlessness of Tiger (虎虎生風)," and "The Well-rounded Smiling Maitreya (萬事圓通笑彌勒)," among others.
Lomy ART workshop stated that charcoal sculpture involves white charcoal, also known as Bincho Tan in Japanese, which typically undergoes a temperature of roughly 1,000 degrees. Its hardness is closer that of steel. Due to its porosity, which makes it subject to cracking if carved directly, this type of sculpture takes its shape by putting the ground powder of charcoal into a shaping mold and going through a die casting process.
In addition, the Lomy ART workshop added that when edible salt is applied to artistic creation, it is inevitable to cope with technical issues such as solubility and change of pigment. However, with modern innovative techniques, salt sculpture today can endure over 100 hours in the water without solvation or turning yellow in high temperatures. It even comes with a glow, which gives the works a glazy look.
To view the online exhibition, please click here.