
Created By
William Tong
Mixed media sculpture

Curator
Luke Chapman
In "Thorny Silver Axe," Tong masterfully navigates the intersection of technology and decay, crafting a visual symphony that speaks to the relentless march of time on our digital artifacts. The juxtaposition of corroded metal against tattered sails creates a haunting dialogue between the industrial and the organic, inviting viewers to contemplate the fragility of our technological legacies. Through the intricate play of light and shadow on perforated metal sheets, Tong skillfully evokes a sense of coded memories and forgotten promises, urging us to reflect on the cyclical nature of creation and destruction in our ever-evolving world.
Thorny Silver Axe' stands as a poignant artifact from Tong's Temphouse cycle, a series deeply engaged with themes of obsolescence, technological reincarnation, and the enduring spirit of resourcefulness in the face of entropy. Constructed primarily from the skeletal remains of a computer mainframe chassis, the sculpture presents a multi-tiered, quasi-architectural form. The textures are raw, almost violently honest: corroded metal, frayed ropes binding disparate elements, tattered canvas sails catching phantom winds. There's a palpable tension between the rigid geometry of the original machine and the organic decay that now claims it. Perforated metal sheets cast shadows that dance like half-remembered code, while the overall structure evokes both a derelict vessel and a precarious, improvised dwelling. The "axe" of the title suggests a primal, almost violent act of repurposing, transforming discarded technology into a symbol of survival and adaptation. The silver, if glimpsed beneath the decay, hints at a lost promise of technological utopia, now reclaimed by the grit and grime of lived experience. This is not mere assemblage; it's a requiem for the digital age, sung in rust and rope.

Created By
William Tong
60 x 40 cm | 24 x 16 in
15 cm | 6 in
2020