IN CONVERSATION: BETTY C. FAN

Illustration of Betty C. Fan by Maria Chen

DATE

2024/04/01

ARTICLE

Maria Chen

PHOTOS

Courtesy of the Artist

IN CONVERSATION: BETTY C. FAN

CNTRFLD.ART's latest "In Conversation" series delves into the creative minds shaping contemporary art through TRA Collective, an emerging Chinese curatorial duo based in London, representing progressive talent from across the globe. Their recent exhibition, "Always Container, Sometimes Contained," explores the dialectics of outside and inside through a series of works that touch on themes of homescapes, inhabitancies, and spatialised time.

One such talent is Betty C. Fan, a London-based artist whose work investigates the intricate dance between cultural identities and the shifting boundaries of digital and physical worlds. Through her innovative use of sound, performance, and sculptural forms, Betty reflects on themes of impermanence and transition, drawing from her experiences growing up in Taipei, Hong Kong, and the United States.

Betty's multidisciplinary approach creates evocative sound sculptures and performances that bridge cultural memory and contemporary experience. Her practice continues to challenge and inspire, offering new perspectives on the intersections of art, identity, and environment.
In this conversation, we explore Betty C. Fan's artistic journey, her creative process, and her insights on navigating a career in art.

CREDITS

Header: Unknown, On Play

CNTRFLD. Can you describe how your experiences in Taipei, Hong Kong, and the United States have influenced your artistic practice and the themes you explore?

BF. My art practice centres on capturing that feeling of constant change, especially across different cultures, and I do that first through sound. Living in Taipei, Hong Kong, and the U.S., I was immersed in each city's unique sounds, the energy of Taipei's night markets, those trams in Hong Kong, even the resonance and echo of a street musician’s amplifier in a New York City subway. But what struck me most was how some sounds transcended those differences: a car horn, a can opening, the wind in the trees. It's like these everyday sounds create a thread connecting it all, and every time I moved, I felt that even more strongly. Sound became my way to ground myself, to feel at home even in a brand-new place. These sounds became my anchor, those little moments, and I use them to build artworks that hopefully speak to those feeling the same sense of displacement, that search for belonging, that comes with moving between cultures. It's about finding the familiar in the unfamiliar, and maybe even discovering a bit of myself in the process.

CNTRFLD. Your work often merges digital and physical realms. How do you approach the creation of your fictional architectural spaces and soundscapes, and what role do they play in your sculptures and performances?

BF. My work is all about bridging gaps, between cultures, between the digital and physical, and between sound and form. It all begins with listening deeply to the sounds I've collected from different places I've lived. I then translate those sonic impressions into tangible forms, sketching with sound through musical compositions on the piano or with my own sculptural instruments. These sonic sketches become blueprints for my physical sculptures, where every curve and texture originate from those initial sonic impressions. 3D digital tools serve as my sketchbook, a space for free-flowing ideas, inspired by my background in architecture. But the digital realm is just a starting point. The real magic happens when I physically sculpt, bringing those ideas to life. And when these sculptures are integrated into live performances, accompanied by soundscapes woven into the fabric of the event, an immersive experience emerges, bridging the real and imagined, the digital and physical, the sonic and visual, bringing everything full circle.

CNTRFLD. You mentioned that sound is a vital force in your practice. How does sound interact with the sculptural elements in your work, and what does it contribute to the overall experience of your art?

BF. Sound, for me, is the lifeblood of my sculptures, the force that awakens their dormant forms and reveals their hidden depths. Take my performance series, ‘Unknown, On Play,’ for example. In this series, the sculpture is in a constant state of evolution, its physical form and relationship with sound are always shifting in every episode. In the first two episodes, performed at Greatorex Street for ‘Always Container, Sometimes Contained,’ curated by TRA Collective in May 2024, I interacted with the unfinished sculpture using objects like metal rods, walnuts, and wax, generating unexpected sounds. Then, in episode three, performed at Noho Showrooms for ‘Hazy Horizons,’ curated by Chaerin Lee, Tim C Huang, and Sarotta Lee in August 2024, the sculpture became interactive, resonating with two base notes activated through touch and vibration. Throughout all three episodes, I layered my own vocals, harmonizing with the sculpture's unique sounds. It's this conversation, this interplay between the human voice and the voice of the sculpture, that creates an immersive experience, allowing the sculpture to become a felt presence.

CNTRFLD. Your practice involves blending cultural memory, ritual, and personal experiences. Can you share an example of how these elements come together in a specific piece of your work?

BF. My work is deeply rooted in my personal experiences, cultural influences, and memories, and I find connections between these personal elements and universal themes. One of my pieces, ‘15 Days of Droplets,’ was created while I was in Hong Kong, working in the heart of the vibrant Wan Chai district. Surrounded by the city's energetic soundscape, I looked for a way to capture that energy while finding grounding within the urban chaos. For 15 days, I stepped away from digital tools and focused on a daily ritual: crafting one teardrop-shaped concrete sculpture each day. This repetitive process, from mixing the concrete, observing its curing to polishing, became a meditation, each droplet representing a fragment of my experience in that concrete jungle. By embracing the tactile nature of the material and the ambient sounds of Hong Kong, I intentionally moved away from digital precision, connecting with a deeper, more primal element within myself. Those 15 concrete teardrops became more than just sculptures; they embodied my process of adapting to and finding moments of reflection within the city's overwhelming presence, highlighting the power of ritual and the lasting impact of cultural memory.

CNTRFLD. How does the constant state of transition and impermanence you reflect on in your work manifest in your creative process?

BF. The constant state of transition and impermanence I explore in my work deeply shapes my creative process, leading me to embrace improvisation and spontaneity as essential elements in my performances. I was recently introduced to the Japanese phrase "Ichi-go Ichi-e," meaning "one encounter, one opportunity." This concept, emphasizing the preciousness and uniqueness of each moment, resonates deeply with my approach to live sound performance. By embracing improvisation, I surrender to the ephemeral nature of sound, allowing each performance to become a singular, unrepeatable experience. In those raw, fleeting moments, the unexpected emerges, and new sonic landscapes are discovered in real-time. It's both vulnerable and liberating to trust the unfolding sounds of my sculptures, harmonizing my voice with their unexpected sonic language. This process of in-the-moment discovery, of navigating the unknown, directly reflects the broader themes of impermanence and transition that draw me into my artistic practice. Ultimately, it's about finding grounding in the fleeting, meaning in the transient, and a sense of wonder in the ever-shifting nature of our contemporary experiences.

Unknown, On Play

Unknown, On Play

Unknown, On Play

Unknown, On Play

Unknown, On Play

CREDITS

Divider: Unknown, On Play

CNTRFLD. As an artist with a background in architecture, how do you think your architectural training informs your approach to sculpture and sound composition?

BF. My architectural background has influenced how I approach making sculpture and sound composition. At its foundation, architecture is about defining spaces, which demands problem-solving, an understanding of structure and form, and a consideration of how people interact with their surroundings. More importantly, architecture taught me that I can establish my own rules and systems within my creative practice, as long as I remain aware of my existing conditions and foundations. This approach allowed me to re-examine my relationship with sound, particularly my classical Western opera training—a common experience for many East Asian children often steered toward a form of classical music from a young age. While Western opera remains a significant part of my identity, architecture provided the framework to rethink and redefine my relationship with my voice without completely abandoning that training. It granted me the freedom to experiment, to discover my own sonic language, ultimately leading me to the intersection of sound and sculpture where my artistic practice stands today.

CNTRFLD. What challenges have you faced in navigating between cultural identities, and how have these challenges shaped your artistic expression?

BF. Navigating between cultural identities has been anything but straightforward. It's an ongoing journey of trying to figure out where I belong, like trying to solve a changing puzzle. I often experience these mini-identity crises, those moments where you question everything you thought you knew about yourself. Sometimes, even introducing myself as "Betty" is enough to send me into an existential spiral. But this constant exploration of belonging, of feeling rooted yet adaptable, finds its way into my sculptures. Their rigid grids and flowing forms are like my own personal cultural commentary, a visual representation of that push and pull between order and chaos, stability and change. It's messy, it's dynamic, and it's kept me on my toes.

CNTRFLD. What advice would you give to emerging artists who are pursuing a career in a multidisciplinary field like yours?

BF. I'm still finding my own footing as an emerging artist, always learning and discovering, so offering advice still feels a bit new to me. But I'm happy to share some insights from my own journey, especially for those transitioning from more traditional fields. One of the most valuable lessons I've learned is recognizing the importance of trusting my physical responses. Our bodies possess a deep well of wisdom that often surpasses what our minds can grasp. For me, this meant tuning into those visceral reactions to sound, those moments when a particular sound gave me goosebumps or even unexpectedly moved me to tears. It became a way to tap into my most authentic creative impulses. Navigating a multidisciplinary path, I found that listening to my body led me to my current artistic mediums. It's those unexpected discoveries, those moments when something resonates with your whole being, that often lead to the most exciting creative breakthroughs.

CNTRFLD. In what ways do you think being a woman artist influences your work or the way your art is received?

BF. It took time for me to fully recognize how deeply my perspective and artistic expression are shaped by my experiences as a woman. Having spent much of my former architecture career in male-dominated environments, I found myself needing to break free from unconsciously internalized masculine energy and rediscover a sense of creative expression rooted in my own femininity. I explored this directly in my performance piece, ‘Portrait of a Double,’ at LIFT movement gym in Shoreditch. This piece, part of a group exhibition with the Royal College of Art's sculpture program led by Graham Hudson, involved a pre-recorded video projection of myself standing still with my arms crossed, in front of which was a live performance of free-form movements. It became an exploration of my relationship with my body. It's an ongoing process, but one that feels deeply connected to the evolution of my art practice.

CNTRFLD. Looking ahead, are there any new themes or projects you are excited to explore in your future work?

BF. I'm deeply invested in exploring the concept of impermanence, an exploration that continues to drive my ‘Unknown, On Play’ series, with episode four currently in development. I can't wait to share more details about the episode once the time and location are finalized. Alongside this ongoing project, I've been creating a series of smaller sculptures, drawing inspiration from the daily encounters and fleeting sounds I experience navigating the streets of London. It's a way of processing and documenting these moments through a sculptural lens, a form of visual journaling, creating a tangible record of my experiences and perceptions of this specific time and place.

Portrait of a Double

Portrait of a Double

Portrait of a Double

Still Clouded

Permanently Under Construction

Permanently Under Construction.

15 Days of Droplets

Grey on Grey

About Betty C Fan is currently based in London, drawing inspiration from the symphony of sounds that define contemporary urban life. She attunes her work to this sonic landscape, crafting sculptures and performances that explore the interplay of sound, space, and cultural identity in urban environment. Sound serves as both a primary inspiration and a key element in her multi-disciplinary work. For Fan, sound unlocks the essence of a place, weaving together the natural and the man-made into a comforting familiarity. This fascination with sound stems from her own experience navigating between cultures. Her work explores the impermanence of place and the complexities of cultural identity, reflecting the fragmented nature of contemporary experience through sound, performance, and sculpture.

Fan's creative process often begins in the digital realm, where she constructs fictional architectural spaces and evocative soundscapes. These digital environments, inspired by the sonic textures of her surroundings – the hum of cars, the cries of buses, the rustling of leaves – are then translated into physical sculptures. It is through this translation that she visually explores the duality between organic forms and rigid structures, mirroring the tension between order and chaos, the known and the unknown.

The human voice plays a particularly important role in Fan's artistic practice. She views it as a powerful tool for connection, a way to transform unfamiliar spaces into something resembling home. Through performance, she weaves her own rhythms into her sonic environments, using sound to traverse the fluidity of cultural boundaries and explore the ongoing search for identity in a constantly shifting world.
Fan holds an MA in Sculpture from the Royal College of Art. Her background also includes a Bachelor of Architecture from Pratt Institute, a Master of Architecture and Urban Design from Columbia University, and experience in various architectural design firms. Her work has been exhibited in London, Hong Kong, Michigan, and Chicago.

This interview is part of a series of conversations with artists featured in the group exhibition "Always Container, Sometimes Contained," curated by TRA Collective.
TRA Collective is a curatorial collective co-founded by Lanzehang (Lan) Ying and Haijia Blair Luo in 2023, both of whom are independent curators currently based in London. The prefix “TRA” signifies moving beyond and existing in between, capturing the essence of crossing boundaries and borders, and exploring the liminal spaces where new possibilities and perspectives can emerge. Their recent exhibitions include: ‘Always container, sometimes contained,’ Greatorex Street, London (2024); ‘Linger in Silence,’ Willesden Gallery, London (2023); ‘Night Boat,’ Fitzrovia Gallery, London (2023); ‘Invisible Recursion,’ M P Birla Millennium Art Gallery, London (2023).

IN CONVERSATION: BETTY C. FAN

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