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A Conversation With Tairan Hao
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Based in New York, Tairan Hao is a new media artist working in digital animation, 3D printing, immersive installation, interactive installation, and sculptures. His work is marked by the interplay between the virtual and the real, focusing on the impact of technological advancements on society and personal identity. Hao ingeniously integrates cutting-edge technology such as artificial intelligence and machine learning, challenging the viewer in his interactive and immersive experiences to actively engage with themes of identity, politics, and environment. Today, we have the pleasure of having a conversation with the artist and founder of TAIRANHAO STUDIO, discussing his creative practice, career, and vision when it comes to the ever-changing synergy between art and technology.
Sylvia Walker: Hello and welcome. It’s great to have you with CAI for an exclusive interview. How have you been, and could you please briefly introduce yourself?
Tairan Hao: Hello Sylvia, and thank you for the warm welcome. I’m Tairan Hao, a multidisciplinary artist, specifically focusing on new-media arts, from Beijing, China, and currently living and working in New York. My artistic practice is deeply intertwined with the exploration of new media, including digital animation, 3D printing, and immersive and interactive installations. I aim to blur the lines between the virtual and the real, using cutting-edge technologies like artificial intelligence and machine learning to delve into complex themes such as identity, politics, and our environmental footprint. As the founder of TAIRANHAO STUDIO, I am continually driven by the dynamic interplay between art and technology, striving to create works that not only provoke thought but also encourage viewers to interact with and reflect on the societal impacts of technological progression. It’s a pleasure to discuss these passions and my journey with you today.
SW: You’ve been actively exhibiting as a new media artist since approximately 2017. Could you please walk us through how your journey as an exhibiting artist began and how it has evolved over the years?
TH: Certainly, Sylvia. My journey into new media art began during my undergraduate years at the California College of the Arts. Before attending CCA, I focused on painting and sculpture, exploring the more traditional mediums of visual expression. However, as I delved deeper into my explorations, I became captivated by the possibilities that digital tools offered, as I majored in interaction design, where I have the opportunity to access and learn about cutting-edge techs.
By 2021, I was actively experimenting with digital modeling, 3D printing, and creating digital collages, which allowed me to push the boundaries of traditional art forms. This exploration didn’t just change the medium I worked in; it shifted my entire approach to art. I began to see opportunities for making art more accessible and interactive outside the conventional gallery setting, which can have a larger impact and a wider audience. This led to my interest in large-scale interactive and immersive installations, aiming to connect more directly with the public in everyday spaces.
As I pursued my MFA at the University of Pennsylvania, my early experiments and exhibitions provided a solid foundation for my understanding of new media. My time at UPenn was crucial for refining and deepening my conceptual interests while focusing on technological mediums. The experience gained during these formative years helped me develop a unique artistic voice that blends sophisticated technology with engaging narratives, challenging and captivating audiences in expansive, multi-layered experiences.
SW: Becoming a new media artist involves a rather steep learning curve, as it is much less direct and convenient than, for instance, becoming a painter. What were the main challenges you faced when starting out, and how did you overcome them?
TH: Embarking on a career as a new media artist presented distinct challenges, chiefly due to the interdisciplinary and technologically demanding nature of the field. One of the primary hurdles was mastering a wide range of technical skills, from software proficiency to understanding electronic components and programming. Unlike traditional painting, where tools, techniques, forms, and languages are more established, new media art requires constant adaptation to rapidly evolving technologies. This not only demanded substantial technical knowledge but also significant investments in time and resources to secure the necessary equipment and software.
Realizing the importance of financial sustainability as an artist, especially given the capital-intensive nature of large-scale installations, I founded TAIRANHAO STUDIO. This venture not only allowed me to develop functional art products but also enabled me to undertake commissioned installations, providing a revenue stream while continuing my personal artistic pursuits. Another significant challenge was ensuring that the integration of these technologies did not overshadow my artistic vision. To tackle this, I embraced a multidisciplinary approach, actively seeking collaborations with technologists, engineers, and fellow artists.
These collaborations were invaluable, as they expanded my technical prowess and deepened my conceptual insights. Moreover, I committed to continuous education through formal coursework, workshops, online courses, and tech-art conferences, ensuring I remained at the forefront of new technologies and methods. By fostering a culture of continuous learning and collaborative innovation, I was able to navigate the complexities of new media art, using these advanced tools to enrich rather than complicate my artistic expression. This balanced approach has allowed me to create art that is technologically sophisticated yet deeply meaningful, resonating with a broad audience while staying true to my creative ideals.
SW: How has your approach to new media art evolved since your early days as an artist up to now?
TH: Since my early days as a new media artist, my approach has significantly evolved both technically and conceptually. Initially, my focus was on mastering the tools and technologies that are fundamental to new media art—such as digital modeling, animation, projection, 3D printing, and basic interactive software. This phase was about exploration and technical proficiency, aiming to understand how these tools could serve my artistic vision, the potential to shape the language, and the cultural aspect of the tools.
As I gained confidence and competence, my work shifted towards more complex integrations of technology and art, exploring deeper themes such as the impact of digital culture on human perception and relationships and also expanding the scale of works. Over time, my practice has become more nuanced and layered. I’ve moved from merely using technology to create art to questioning and critiquing the role technology plays in our lives. This reflective approach has led me to incorporate AI and machine learning not just as tools but as part of the commentary within my pieces, creating works that respond to and evolve with viewer interaction.
I have also expanded my collaborative network, working with technologists and other artists from diverse fields, which has enriched my work and broadened its appeal and relevance. Today, my approach is characterized by a balance of technical experimentation and philosophical inquiry. I aim to create art that is not only visually engaging but also intellectually and emotionally stimulating, encouraging viewers to reconsider their relationship with technology. This evolution reflects a maturation of both my skills and my conceptual goals, as I strive to make art that resonates with contemporary issues and invites meaningful dialogue.
SW: Could you please explain your methodology and process for selecting specific technologies for a project? How do you decide which tools or methods you use to convey your message accurately, conceptually, and visually?
TH: When selecting technologies for a project, my methodology is both intuitive and strategic, driven by the concept I wish to explore. Initially, I spend considerable time conceptualizing the message and the emotional impact I aim to achieve. This conceptual grounding dictates the technology I choose. For instance, if I’m exploring themes like connectivity or alienation in digital spaces, I might lean towards interactive installations that use real-time data inputs and outputs, allowing the audience to physically engage with the work, thereby enhancing the conceptual message through personal experience.
Technological selection also depends on the visual aesthetics I envision. For works that delve into the fluidity of identity in digital realms, I might use 3D mapping and augmented reality to create transformative visual experiences that challenge the viewer’s perception of reality and self. The process often involves experimenting with several technologies before settling on the one that best aligns with the artistic and thematic goals of the project.
Moreover, my decisions are sometimes intuitive, stemming from my familiarity and comfort with certain mediums. This intuitive aspect is crucial as it allows me to work more fluidly and respond adaptively throughout the creative process. By blending strategic planning with intuitive practice, I ensure that the technology not only serves the art visually and conceptually but also feels like a natural extension of the message I aim to convey. This approach helps maintain a coherent narrative across the technological and artistic aspects of my work, ensuring that each piece is impactful, engaging, and thought-provoking.
SW: In your artist statement, you describe the use of technology not just as a tool but as a medium to redefine art’s boundaries and to engage with the audience in meaningful ways. Could you please elaborate on this statement and, perhaps, illustrate it with some examples?
TH: In my work, I regard technology not merely as a tool for creation but as a vital medium that extends and redefines the boundaries of traditional art and the dialogue, forms, interaction, and possibilities that it creates. This perspective allows me to explore and engage with the audience on levels beyond visual aesthetics, integrating interactive elements that make the art responsive and, in a way, alive.
For instance, one of my projects involved a public installation where the artwork’s behavior changed in response to the audience’s movements and sounds. The concept of the work was to embody my vision of life’s continuity and replication in virtual worlds, delving into the interactions with virtual life forms, as the installation’s elements are mostly shaped from 3D-modeled animals. It explores the genesis of rules, boundaries, and novel life forms within these virtual realms. This use of motion sensors and sound-responsive software transformed passive viewers into active participants, creating a dynamic interaction that blurred the lines between the art and its audience, the relationship between audience cognitive behavior and the subconscious reaction, making the audiences’ response become part of the piece.
Another example is a recent piece that utilized augmented reality (AR) to layer digital information over real-world objects, allowing viewers to see a constantly evolving narrative as they moved around the space. This method not only altered their perception of physical space but also invited them to consider how digital overlays can change our understanding of reality. These examples illustrate how technology, when integrated thoughtfully, can expand the conceptual depth and interactive potential of art.
By making the technology an integral part of the artistic narrative rather than just a means to an end, I aim to foster a deeper engagement with the audience, prompting them to reflect on their interaction with technology in both the art context and their everyday lives. This approach not only challenges traditional art forms but also encourages viewers to question and reinterpret their own experiences and perceptions.
SW: Much of your work invites audience participation. Can you discuss a project where viewer interaction significantly influenced the outcome or meaning of the piece?
TH: One project that I am currently working on where audience participation crucially shapes the outcome is called “Voices of the Void,” an interactive digital installation designed to explore the concept of collective consciousness and individual voices within a society. The piece consisted of a large-scale projection mapped onto a complex structure where viewers’ movements and sounds were captured via sensors and microphones. These inputs dynamically altered the visual and auditory output of the installation, creating a constantly evolving tapestry of images and sounds that mirrored the collective activity of the audience.
This direct interaction allowed the piece to serve as a living reflection of the participants’ immediate responses and interactions, embodying the idea that every individual contributes to the social and cultural milieu. Significantly, “Voices of the Void” highlighted how collective input can alter a shared space, underscoring the impact of individual actions on a communal scale. The installation not only provided an immersive aesthetic experience but also provoked participants to reflect on their role in shaping their environments, making the artwork a powerful commentary on social dynamics. This project exemplified how integrating viewer participation can transform an art piece into a dynamic dialogue between the creator, the work, and the audience.
SW: You often discuss the sociopolitical implications of technology through your art. Could you share how you hope your work influences or shapes viewers’ perspectives on technology and society?
TH: I hope to provoke critical reflection on the pervasive impact of technology in our lives, particularly concerning sociopolitical issues. For example, one of my installations, “Hello World,” uses interactive robotic arms with surveillance cameras that display and mimic real-time actions of the audience, incorporating data streams and neural network machine learning tools that suggest how personal information might be tracked and used over the scale of time. This piece aims to illustrate the often invisible nature of surveillance and its implications for privacy and autonomy in the digital age. By embedding these themes into the fabric of my installations, I hope to encourage viewers to consider not just the immediate effects of technology but its deeper ethical and societal impacts.
I strive to create a space where art transcends aesthetic enjoyment and becomes a catalyst for dialogue and questioning. My goal is that this reflection leads to a more informed and critical perspective on how technology shapes our social structures, personal interactions, and even our own self-perceptions. Ultimately, I believe art has the power to challenge prevailing narratives and inspire change by making abstract concerns tangible and urgent, prompting individuals to think critically about the role technology plays in shaping our collective future.
SW: You are the founder of TAIRANHAO STUDIO as an artist brand and organization. Where did the incentive come from to take this step?
TH: The incentive to found TAIRANHAO STUDIO stemmed from my desire to create a dedicated space where the fusion of art and technology could be explored and expanded beyond traditional boundaries. As I delved deeper into new media art, I recognized the need for a platform that not only supported my artistic endeavors but also facilitated collaboration with other creatives and technologists. This collaborative environment was essential for pushing the boundaries of what could be achieved within the realms of digital and interactive art.
The studio serves as a hub for innovation, where interdisciplinary teams can work together on projects that integrate the latest technological advancements with profound artistic concepts. Moreover, founding my own studio allowed me to maintain creative control and ensure that each project aligns with my vision of making art that challenges, engages, and inspires audiences. It was a natural progression in my career to establish a place where my artistic aspirations and the capabilities of modern technology could coalesce into tangible, impactful art installations and experiences.
SW: With rapid advancements in technology, where do you see the future of new media art heading? Are there any specific trends or technologies you’re particularly excited about? And how does a new media artwork aim to stand the test of time, as the rapid pace of change in technology can make something cutting-edge obsolete in just a decade?
TH: The future of new media art is constantly evolving, particularly with the integration of artificial intelligence, which I find incredibly exciting. AI enables art to learn, adapt, and even create autonomously, opening up new paradigms for artistic expression and interaction. Moreover, AI empowers artists to explore new possibilities in content generation and develop fresh visual languages that resonate with its underlying concepts. I believe AI transcends its role as merely a tool for artists; it embodies the potential to revolutionize methodologies, serve as a reflective mirror, and expand conceptual frameworks in art.
In terms of longevity amidst rapid technological changes, the enduring value of new media artworks lies in their conceptual strength rather than the immediacy of their technology. While specific tools may become obsolete, the explorations they enable—such as the implications of AI on privacy, autonomy, and human identity—remain pertinent. My work, for example, often delves into how AI influences human decision-making and societal norms. These are enduring concerns that transcend the technology’s lifespan. By anchoring new media artworks in such timeless human and societal issues, they can stand the test of time, continuing to engage and challenge viewers long after the novelty of the technology has faded. This strategy ensures that new media art remains not only technologically innovative but also deeply meaningful across different eras.
SW: To conclude, do you have any upcoming projects or personal reflections you would like to share with us?
TH: As I look ahead, there are several exciting projects on the horizon for TAIRANHAO STUDIO. One of the most anticipated is an interactive installation that explores the theme of environmental sustainability through the lens of digital interaction. This project will use real-time data and AI to create an evolving visual narrative about the impact of human activity on our planet. It’s designed to not only provide aesthetic pleasure but also provoke thoughtful discourse on our environmental responsibilities.
On a personal level, these projects reflect my ongoing commitment to utilizing art as a medium for societal reflection and change. Art has the power to influence perceptions and inspire actions, and I am increasingly interested in how it can also contribute to solutions for global challenges like climate change. Each project is a step toward more profound engagement with these critical issues, aiming to make a meaningful impact through the confluence of art, technology, and activism.
SW: Thank you very much, Tairan; it has been a pleasure!
Last Updated on October 18, 2024
Sylvia Walker
Sylvia Walker (b. 1986, US) is an art historian, essayist, art critic, and curator. After contributing to numerous publications, and curating exhibitions in the United States of America and beyond, she currently works as the assistant director of Contemporary Art Issue (CAI).
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