Let's get digital

Moving image

MIT Media Lab defines programmable art as "a series of artworks that uses electronic elements such as LED lights and microphone sensors as 'pigments' in paintings with the goal to blend traditional elements of painting — color, texture, composition — with these electronic components to create a new genre of time-based art". The internationally acclaimed pop artist bringing this movement to the masses in Hong Kong is Tsai whose unique East-meets-West approach marries figures traditionally found in Chinese landscape painting with characters from Western pop culture. Think maidens in hanfu consorting with C-3PO, or a dragon dance in a crowd of DC superheroes.

"Ten years ago, there was no channel for us to sell digital art," Tsai recalls. "This is a completely revolutionary moment because you can sell to normal people."