Background
Wen-Ying Tsai was born on October 13, 1928 in Xiamen, China. He was the son of Chen-Dak Tsai and Ching-Miau (Chen) Tsai. In 1950, Wen-Ying emigrated to the United States.
University of Michigan
Art Students League of New York
New School for Social Research
Wen-Ying Tsai was born on October 13, 1928 in Xiamen, China. He was the son of Chen-Dak Tsai and Ching-Miau (Chen) Tsai. In 1950, Wen-Ying emigrated to the United States.
Wen-Ying Tsai studied at the University of Michigan, graduating with Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering degree in 1953. Later, he enrolled at the Art Students League of New York, where he studied during the period from 1953 to 1957. Since 1956 till 1958, Tsai also took courses in political science and economics at New School for Social Research.
The artist also attended modern dance classes, where Erick Hawkins was his mentor.
In 1963, Tsai won a John Hay Whitney Fellowship for Painting, after which he decided to leave engineering and become a full-time artist. He traveled through Europe for three months and when he came back to New York, he started to make three-dimensional constructions, using optical effects, fluorescent paints and ultra-violet light. Later, these works were shown at the exhibition "The Responsive Eye", which was curated by William Seitz at the Museum of Modern Art in New York.
Some time later, unsatisfied with his static sculptures, Tsai began to incorporate motors into his work. He created "Multi-kinetic Wall" in 1965, which was exhibited at the Institute of Contemporary Art in Boston. In 1969, Tsai was invited by György Kepes to the Center for Advanced Visual Studies at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. There, Tsai got acquainted with Harold "Doc" Edgerton, the engineer, who developed the modern electronic stroboscope.
In the early 1970s, the artist left for Paris. During these years, he befriended several Chinese artists, including Peng Wants and Chu Teh-Chun. At that time, he also became very passionate about cultural exchange between China and the West. In 1979, Tsai and his friend the composer Wen-chung Chou were part of the first delegation of artists from the United States to the People's Republic of China.
Later, Tsai settled down permanently in New York. In 2006, together with his wife, Tsai established the Tsai Art and Science Foundation.
The artist took part in numerous solo and group exhibitions in different cities, including New York, Toronto, Tokyo, Paris and others.
Wen-Ying Tsai married Pei-De Chang in 1968. The couple gave birth to their twin sons — Lun-Yi and Ming Yi.