Matchstick Sculptures by Pei-San Ng

Chicago-based architectural designer and multimedia artist Pei-San Ng created these matchsticks sculptures.



This love sculpture hand drawn and spelled out in vintage type entitled 'Passion' is made up of about 2,500 matchsticks and taking a total of 24 hours to complete.

"I love making models out of sticks. With limited resources, Nathan (her husband) suggested using matches instead of balsa. Thus began my matches series. With every piece finished, came an urge to burn it."

“I like to design with modules. In the past I have created installations using dozens of identical Ikea lamps or Mason jars. These modules end up resembling pixels that form icons or symbols.”

"Love on fire represents romance and passion or destruction and jealousy. It is raw and gritty."



This burning sneakers were made and then burned in honor of a deceased friend.

"In Chinese culture, we burn paper money so the spirit can take these notes with them to the afterlife. These papers are called joss paper. In contemporary culture, they have included paper cell phone, paper credit cards and paper boats. I made a pair of sneakers for Chris to take with. He loves his sneakers and he always have the perfect pair to go with his outfit. He was fashionable. These sneakers were in his Tribute show entitled “Tapedek: The Afters Cool Show” at CAD on April 9th, 2010. One of the pair was burned at the end of the show with a gathering of his friends."



She creates lace work patterns on the wings and body of this half-burned phoenix entitled 'Out of the Ashes'.

"The less density of the matches, the quicker I produce the piece."

"It's a mythical creature born out of fire, out of complete destruction. It's also said that the phoenix is the female equivalent of the Chinese mythical creature of the dragon, symbolizing ultimate power and strength. This piece, made of matches, reminds us that we all have the potential to rise out of the low, the ashes and be reborn or to re-invent ourselves to be purposeful and determined."



"When you look at these pieces you realize that – if you light the matches then you change the work if not burn it completely, there is a tension there, you get a moment of satisfaction and then you have nothing – I like that tease.”



“In Chinese culture red is a very lucky color, matches evoke danger. I think that by mixing those two messages the audience is forced to take a second or third look. I want to tempt the viewer to destroy my artwork.”

Check her website: http://peisanng.com/

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