The “Light · Substance” series originated from Chiu Chao-tsai’s firsthand experience during the creative process. As he watched materials being milled and shaped by a carving machine, he realized that tracking the trajectory of the blade’s tip was akin to constructing a form within the mind.

This series of works seeks to recreate and capture this specific state of being. Chiu developed a digital three-axis mechanical device that drives a single point of light; when a viewer enters the space, the sensors trigger the device, causing the light point to traverse the edges of a virtual object within a darkened 3D space, randomly carving out various geometric forms.

In an era where we are accustomed to using digital technology to construct virtual objects and then manifesting them through machinery—characterized by speed, efficiency, and a world “cast” into shape—the “Light · Substance” series attempts to develop an experience that reverses our visual habits.The forms intended for realization vanish the moment they appear, returning the viewer to a sense of perceptual futility and void.

Furthermore, these works continues Chiu’s core concept of “interactivity,” inviting the audience to participate through observation and mental imagery, thereby transforming and internalizing the process to complete the realization of the artwork.

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