text Y-JEAN MUN-DELSALLE photos WArrEN kiNg9simple does it
Without using a computer
and rarely sketching before
beginning an artwork, Warren
works entirely by hand,
employing the most basic
tools: scissors, a few different
kinds of knives and glue.
With most of his figures, if
you look at them from the back,
you find that they are hollow
shells with little structure or
mass. They are just a surface,
to which he has recently begun
adding colour and graphical
elements, in the form of cut
paper images glued on, to
introduce a new dimension.
Inspired by intricate scenes
portrayed on lacquerware
or carved wooden panels,
and patterns adorning robes
worn by royalty, he uses paper
cutouts to relate narratives
important to him. For each, he’s
telling a story, whether from
personal experience, or based
on characters from history,
folk tales, or his imagination.
“Cardboard, being a
sculptural material, as well
as a flat paper surface, seems
uniquely suited for this type
of storytelling,” Warren
notes. “What I’m looking for
is something that sheds light
on, or raises a question about,
my connection to my culture
and ancestors. The things that
really interest me are cultural
and ethnic connections, how
we try to preserve them and
how they shape us even after
they’ve been severed. And then
I try to develop ways to visually
express these connections.”
For example, he created an
installation of five characters
seated around a low table, which
was inspired by his memory of
seeing his father and his siblings
and mother gathered at their
old family home in Taiwan,
reunited there to prepare for the
passing of his ailing grandfather,
who is represented by
a lion at the table.
Although Warren loves
crafting masks and animal
sculptures – he has created
lions, roosters, lizards, frogs,
hedgehogs, monkeys and horses- to try out new techniques or
just for fun, making human
figures remains his main focus.
“The range of emotions and
stories that can be conveyed
is limitless, and I’ve barely
just started,” he says. “But
I think the main reason is
that nothing else is nearly
as challenging. There’s far
less leniency when you make
human figures. If something is
off, anyone can sense it. And a
millimetre of adjustment can
change a whole expression.”
As cardboard is not as durable
as canvas, he explains how he
intends for his artworks to
stay in pristine condition over
time. “It’s true, cardboard won’t
last as long as stone or metal,
but its durability is generally
underrated. When I started, I
used common cardboard from
old boxes, but what I found
is that there is a huge range
in quality. So I switched to
non-recycled material, which
made a big difference.
“Nowadays, I use museum-
quality board, which is acid-free
and very strong. On top of that, I
coat the finished pieces with an
invisible varnish. So I think they
should last for quite a while... as
long as no one leaves them outside
in the rain, or sits on them!”- Warren is also
exploring the
use of cardboard
as a medium for
other types of
artwork, such
as panels and
screens. - Shadows help
create a sense
of dimension in
his artworks. - This work,
titled 400
Apples A Day,
was inspired by
the life of the
Empress Cixi. - Another
creation from
Warren’s
series entitled
Grandfather’s
Friends.
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