Steph Huang, a London-based art practitioner working with sculpture, photography, moving image, sound and publication, was awarded the Mark Tanner Sculpture Award 2023-24 (MTSA). After exhibiting at Standpoint Gallery in London at the end of 2024, her show There is nothing old under the sun began its journey around the UK on the MTSA National Touring Programme. First showing at esea contemporary in Manchester, the show is now at Cross Lane Projects in Kendal, a gallery that maintains a close relationship with the MTSA, having hosted award winners since 2019.
The MTSA was founded in honour of British sculptor, Mark Tanner, by poet and philanthropist Prudence Scott and Standpoint Director, Michael Taylor, both long-time friends and collaborators of Tanner’s. Speaking with MTSA Assistant Director Emma Benyon, she explains that, ‘from the outset, the idea of an award specifically designed to support the making of new work seemed an appropriate memorial to keep alive the passion and enthusiasm [Tanner] had for the making of art. They did not want to simply reward past achievements, but rather concentrate on supporting future potential’. First awarded to Rosie Leventon in 2001, the award has now been running for over twenty years.
After the passing of Prudence Scott in 2019, the MTSA has continued through her daughter, artist Rebecca Scott, who takes over her as representative of the trust. Scott opened Cross Lane Projects in their hometown of Kendal in Cumbria in 2018, and the gallery became the starting point for the next phase of the award in a National Touring Programme. Since then, several more host venues have been added in Greater Manchester and Cornwall. This phase has allowed an expansion of both audiences and applicants; while they had hoped to encourage a broader range of applicants in the early years of creating a national award, with the hope of better reflecting sculptural practice throughout the UK, Benyon notes that:
After a few years we found we had only partially been successful… We felt that to help broaden applications we also needed to develop an audience for the award winner’s exhibition. [The National Touring Programme] is a major development for MTSA and allows the winner the opportunity to reach new audiences across the UK, experience working with various institutions and spaces, and gives a deeper connection with the work, allowing it to expand over time.
Huang’s exhibition at esea contemporary was one such example, allowing for the specific diasporic lens, located in the heart of Manchester, to colour the works in a new way. Housed in the Former Wholesale Fish Market offices at Smithfield market, esea contemporary’s exhibition of Huang’s works gestured towards human relationships to food in the city, particularly with seafood, as well as her own identity as a Taiwanese artist researching in marketspaces in multiple global cities. At its present venue of Cross Lane Projects, situated in the former Kendal Mint Cake factory, the works transform again. Swapping the metropolis with the English rural town, incidentally, draws out the context of Huang’s ideas surrounding industrial spaces of food and commerce. Reflecting on the features of Huang’s work that led to her award, Benyon noted:
Huang has the ability to transform everyday spaces and objects, resulting in minimalist sculptures and poetically charged installations of quiet resonance. For me personally, I love the work ‘Things Which Are Only Themselves’(2024). It’s drawing within a space and transforms in every new location.
Vivien Chan [VC]: Tell us a little bit about the background to the show. What were some of the experiences and moments that sparked the focus on food and commerce?
Steph Huang [SH]: I read that the difference between those who are passionate about food and those who are not is influenced by genetics. However, I believe my Taiwanese cultural background plays a role as well. Growing up, food was a central topic and we frequently met friends at pre-booked restaurants as our destinations. In our family, we always gathered around the dinner table. When we ate out, we would have spirited conversations about where to go, as everyone had their own favourites.
The atmosphere of these spaces can vary greatly. You can enjoy expertly prepared traditional delicacies from a simple street setup or a fine dining restaurant. We often discuss food, its flavours, and our personal preferences.
VC: In the show’s introduction you mention your experiences in the food industry. Am I right in saying that you identify with both roles of cook and artist? How are art and food similar?
SH: I may be a food-oriented person, but I am far from a professional chef! The two areas do share a similarity: both require chopping and mixing different ingredients or materials, which ultimately transforms them into something magical.
VC: This is the first time the show will be shown in a rural environment, alongside the beautiful landscape in the Lake District. Do you think this environment shifts the interpretation of the work?
SH: I am totally in love with the lush green fields and the roaming animals that dotted the landscape. Some work in this series is dedicated to nature. ‘The Wood and Stones’ (2024) was inspired by a campsite in Bordeaux, while ‘The Willow Pond’ (2024) reflects the tranquillity of a frozen lake in Sweden, and ‘Summer in the Riviera’ (2024) captures the vibrant essence of the South of France. And I think those works somehow resonate with the natural environments in the Lake District. I am very grateful for the opportunity to tour with my work here.
VC: Your work often references the domestic and professional spaces of food and markets, investigating mass production and commerce. What is it that makes these spaces so fascinating for you?
SH: Space is never merely a passive container. I always strive to unpack and reveal the dynamics it holds. Having the opportunity to showcase my works in the former Mint Cake Factory was a remarkable experience. I was genuinely impressed by the unique charm of the space when I visited last year.
When people create a sculpture, the surroundings are also altered, leading to the creation of negative spaces. I want to keep this in mind at all times. This perspective significantly influenced my work, and I started to create longer hangers to facilitate airflow behind wall-based pieces, as well as build spiral rods that extend across different walls within the gallery space.
VC: Shells and shellfish are a recurring motif in the exhibition. What is the meaning of the shell in your work?
SH: Shells first provided shelter to creatures and later became remnants from a meal. Their natural shape and texture are also captivating.
Scallops have always been a favourite of mine. In my recent works, the forms of scallops and oyster shells are recurring themes. I also visited a hand-picked scallop diver in Devon to explore sustainable fishing practices and to learn how we can coexist with nature while harvesting from the sea.
VC: The show is truly a work of many mediums and techniques combined in each piece, including sound and light, and it has resulted in a sensory, textural and tactile aspect to the exhibition. What led you to work with so many materials? Were you looking for a particular quality in the materials you have chosen?
SH: From my perspective, I often find myself navigating the balance between reality and purity. There are moments when I truly appreciate the unadulterated essence of materials, while at other times, I incorporate elements that resonate with the familiar aspects of our society.
For example, ‘Things Which Are Only Themselves’ (2024) is primarily based on the ductility of mild steel and has been thoughtfully adapted for installation in various touring venues.
VC: Some of these materials are found objects, or have even come from previous iterations of the show (such as the dead moth in ‘Willow Pond’from the first show in London). What meaning do found objects hold for you? What new narratives do they offer?
SH: I have an interesting story about the moth to share. An audience brought up moths’ seasonal activity, noting that they are typically active in May, and could not land in Kendal in February. He seemed pleased when we elaborated on how we integrated the moth into the show from Standpoint last May! [VC: A moth became accidentally trapped and died inside a lightbox of one of the works while exhibiting at Standpoint Gallery. Rather than remove it, Huang decided to include the moth in later iterations of the piece.]
I have long been drawn to found objects. In my twenties, I used to visit all sorts of flea markets in cities like Paris, New York, Brussels, and Berlin, dragging weary leather bags, old-fashioned suitcases, teddy bears with straw and glass eyes, and heavy typewriters around.
Now, my favourite pieces are the discarded furniture I find on the streets. The excitement of unexpected finds and the joy of accumulating items in the studio is truly rewarding. Riding around the city on my bike really helps with treasure hunting. The materials are piled up in the studio, waiting for their moment.
VC: Curiosity and humour seem to be an important factor in this exhibition – there are moments created through the show that seem to want to draw a reaction from the audience. What emotions do you hope audiences will experience or encounter? What would you like the audience to take away from the show?
SH: It’s definitely a privilege to have people seeing your work. Given our diverse backgrounds, the interpretations of a show can differ significantly from person to person. That said, since our work is a reflection of who we are and the lives we lead, it would still be amazing to serve as a medium for others to rethink their perceptions of their daily encounters.
VC: What about you? Do you have a perception of the gallery/exhibition space, and how you use it to tell stories? How do gallery spaces differ from everyday life?
SH: The most significant difference I see between gallery spaces is that they strip away all distractions, allowing the artwork to take centre stage. With the limited information presented in front of the viewer, it becomes much easier to take the time to observe the details and reflect on them and sometimes on life itself.
VC: What would you say is the significance of there being ‘nothing old under the sun’ in 2025? What does the act of ‘seeing anew’ mean to you?
SH: In the world of greed, violence and anxiety, I was hoping to contribute a part of the dialogue around appreciation. I look forward to implementing the act as the foundation for the projects to come and source inspiration in the daily surroundings.
Steph Huang, there is nothing old under the sun, Cross Lane Projects, Kendal, 1 March – 19 April 2025
Dr Vivien Chan is a design historian, educator, writer and imagemaker based in Nottingham.
This interview is supported by Cross Lane Projects.
Published 11.04.2025 by Jazmine Linklater in Interviews
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