In the end, in every visitation of places, we carry with us this burden of what has already been lived, already been seen, but the effort we are prompted to make every day is that of rediscovering a gaze that erases and forgets habit; not so much to see with different eyes, as due to the necessity getting back our bearings anew in space and time.
– L. Ghirri, Paesaggio Italiano, Milano 1989
Wandering the street markets of London, Paris, and her native Taiwan, artist Steph Huang draws on vernacular styles, informal architecture, and local culture for her first solo show in Manchester ‘There is nothing old under the sun.’
Huang transforms everyday spaces and objects into lyrical and playful sculptures that explore our consumption and production habits — their historical layers, transcultural movements, and environmental impact. The title of this exhibition is taken from an expression often used by Italian photographer Luigi Ghirri, known for his enigmatic vision of everyday life. Huang, who is a passionate photographer herself, began the process of making this exhibition by excavating two boxes of her own photographs, spanning several years and cities. Focusing on materiality, Huang’s sculptural pieces combine found objects with craft techniques such as printing, glassblowing, casting, welding, and woodwork. Poetic and absurd, each piece invites us to re-examine the familiar through a lens of meticulously composed insights.
In this exhibition, Huang premiers a new work commissioned by University of Salford Art Collection and esea contemporary. 'Drizzle Between Bricks' was developed during a residency in Manchester using the Maker Space facilities at the University of Salford.
Huang is the 21st winner of the Mark Tanner Sculpture Award (MTSA), the most significant award for emerging UK artists working in the field of sculpture. It seeks to reward outstanding and innovative practice, with a particular interest in work that demonstrates a commitment to process, or sensitivity to material.
As part of the MTSA’s National Touring Programme, 'There is nothing old under the sun' was exhibited at Standpoint in London from 17th May to 29th June 2024. Following its display at esea contemporary, the exhibition will tour to Cross Lane Projects in Kendal in March 2025.
The exhibition is generously supported by MTSA and Arts Council England. Exhibition catalogue supported by the Henry Moore Foundation. Co-commission supported by the University of Salford Art Collection.
"If gathering ingredients is the primary act of cooking, collecting—objects, images, sounds and ideas—is the initial step in the creation of art. For Huang, this involves the dérive, a practice developed in the mid-20th century by the avant-garde art group The Situationist International. The dérive is a way of drifting through the city, with a curious and relaxed demeanour, guided by serendipity, personal associations and the imagination rather than the political or ideological meanings imposed on particular spaces and things. The dérive led the Situationists to another practice, détournement, which involved the deliberate subversion of items from their existing functions and ideologies. For Huang, embracing the dérive means that ‘all my ideas are from passing by.’ She picks up objects during her movement through the city, attracted by ‘their shape and material rather than their use or meaning.' She holds onto these things, saving them for the moment when she can re-use them in unexpected ways, so they add the right form, colour or flavour to one of her works.” — Ellen Mara De Wachter, ‘Steph Huang: Nothing Old Under the Sun'
Steph Huang lives and works in London. She received her MA in sculpture from the Royal College of Art, 2021. Huang has presented recent solo exhibitions at Tate Britain, London (2024); Standpoint, London (2024); E‑WERK Freiburg, Germany (2024); Public Gallery, London (2023); Taipei Fine Arts Museum (2022); Volt, Eastbourne (2022); Goldsmiths CCA, London (2022); and mother’s tankstation, London (2022). Her work has been featured in recent group exhibitions at Galerie du Monde, Hong Kong (2023); Bloomberg New Contemporaries, Humber Street Gallery, Hull and South London Gallery, London (2022); Belmacz, London (2021); San Mei Gallery, London (2021, 2020); Bloc Projects, Sheffield (2021); South London Gallery (2021); and Cromwell Place, London (2021). Huang was awarded the Mark Tanner Sculpture Award in 2023 and the Grand Prize in the Taipei Art Awards in 2022. Forthcoming projects include solo exhibitions at Cross Lane Projects, Cumbria (2025) and Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Taiwan (2025).
