Teddy Lo (born 1974 in Hong Kong) is a Hong Kong–based artist known for his work with the medium and technology of light, especially LED light. His work explores neo-transcendental ideas in the physical-scientific world.
Biography Teddy Lo was born and raised in Hong Kong with his father's family background in technological manufacturing and mother was an artist with family background from the deep mountains of Taiwan, making a living as farmers and hunters. While growing up, Lo was captivated by his perceived difference of basic human needs in technology spending his time divided in big metropolitan cities and rural areas. Having been introduced to the works of Claude Monet at a young age, he began to develop a fondness for fine arts.
Later, he had the opportunity to pursue his studies in US, where he developed an interest on conceptual and artistic depth of its advertising industry and contemporary arts. Eventually enrolled in Art Center College of Design in California to complete a BFA degree in art direction. It was during a fine art class and a visit to a lighting factory that inspired the artist to explore LEDs as an artistic medium. After graduation, Lo moved to NYC to work in advertising and continued his artistic journey. He had his first art exhibition at the Arturo Dimodica Gallery, NYC and since then, began working on lighting design projects.
In 2007, Lo moved back to Hong Kong and founded a LED experience design company LEDARTIST. He then earned his Master's degree on Lighting at Queensland University of Technology which led to a career in light art and design. He has since participated in various international art exhibitions and large-scale lighting projects. Lo held exhibitions in prestigious locations around the world, including Luminale in Frankfurt, Asia Society in Hong Kong, Museum of Art and Design in NYC, Shanghai Museum of Contemporary Arts, Art Centre BUDA Kortrijk in Belgium, Hong Kong Museum of Art, Esplanade in Singapore, 798 Art District in Beijing and Burning Man Festival in Nevada, among others. In addition with commission work for the tallest building in China - The Shanghai Tower and created the digital media infrastructure designs for the new World Trade Center in NYC.
Artist Statement Teddy's creative vision evolves around neo-transcendental art, the integration of spiritual ideas in the physical-scientific world. His work is inspired by current technologies and technological reality. It manifests in artistic expressions through light.
Artificial light is being developed and implemented in society at a rapid pace driven by economic rather than human-sustainable measures. Their team are only at the tip of the iceberg in our current discoveries of the potentials in artificial light to become part of our biological ecosystem. Teddy's art departs from research on light and the electromagnetic spectrum. It evolves from computational graphics, engineering and programming to research in sculptural design, spectrum manipulation and interactivity. During the past decade he has examined how to display colliding data or various states of different particles simulations in 2d or 3d LED artworks, as data visualisation and real time interactive light art. His work utilizes LED technology with refractive reflection of light of color spectra, combining aspects of historical color therapy with a modern approach of lighting design
Having worked with light as a material of art for well over a decade, and belonging to the third generation of a family involved with the invention, production and business of light (from the incandescent light bulb to LEDs), he is concerned with the artistic engagement as well as industrial and societal implementation of light as sustainable and neo-transcendental material. His research and artistic practice depart from a combination of advancements of modern technologies and ancient philosophies on presence and human well-being.
According to the cited source, Teddy Lo views technology as a tool that can support human capabilities while promoting environmental sustainability. His work explores the relationship between technology, nature, and human well-being, emphasizing the integration of technological innovation with environmental responsibility and broader philosophical ideas about the relationship between people and nature.
Grants and awards Year Description Location References 2022 LIT Lighting Design Awards 2022 Winner-Landscape Lighting SwitzerlandMETA (UpperPlace) Light Sculpture Installation2022LIT Lighting Design Awards 2022 Winner-Interactive Lighting ProductSwitzerlandWinners in Interactive Lighting Products 2018 A’Design Award Winner, A’Lighting Products and Projects Design Award ItalyQuintessence Interactive Light Sculpture by Teddy Lo Studio 2017 Shortlisted for Celeste Prize UKSpectrum Manners - Anahata Series #122016Shortlisted for Hong Kong a Symphony of LightsHong Kong 2012 Merit Award, American Institute of Architect US 2010 Project: Shanghai Expo Tibet Pavilion Lighting, Shanghai Lighting Association Awards, Shanghai Lighting Association China 2010 40 Outstanding Design Professionals Under the age of 40, Art Section, Perspective Magazine UK 2009 Distinguish Brand 2009, South China Media x Capital Entrepreneur Hong Kong 2007 Creative Entrepreneurship Awards, Junior Chamber International Hong Kong 2006 Hong Kong Awards For Industries Innovation and Creativity Certificate Of Merit, Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce Hong Kong 2006 Optoelectronics Strategic Outlook 2006 (Hong Kong SAR), International Coalition of Optoelectronics Industry Associations Hong Kong 2006 Design Awards, China Semiconductor Lighting Association
Exhibitions Year Description Location References 2021 Meta Upperplace Properties, Zhongshan, China 2021 Bewildered Universe House of Beautiful Business Festival, Lisbon 2020 Spectrum Manners Jeeum Gallery, Hong Kong 2019 Anahata & Bewildered Universe Awethetic Gallery, Hong Kong 2019 Enter the void Transcending Dimension Sculpting Space, Pingshan, China 2019 Sacred Entities Sovereign Art Foundation, Hong Kong 2019 Bewildered Universe A, Spectrum Manners ii & It Can't Rain All The Time HK WALLS Clubhouse, Hong Kong 2018 Anahata & Bewildered Universe Spectrum Miami, A&E District, US 2018 Anahata Art San Diego - Wyland Expo Center, US 2018 Anahata On Tour, Plazzo Priuli Bon, Venice, Italy 2018 Anahata On Tour, The Royal Opera Arcade Gallery, London, UK 2018 Anahata Artexpo - Pier 94, New York, US 2018 Anahata Condizione - Elepant Pename, Paris, France 2018 Anahata biennale d'arte contemporanea della brianza, Calolziocorte's Monastery Lecco, lake of Como, Italy 2018 2018 Anahata Affordable Art Fair, Merlino Bottega d’Arte, Italy 2018 2018 Anahata Sign, Gesture & Material, Merlino Bottega d’Arte, Italy 2017 Quintessence Lumieres HK, Hong Kong 2017 Gon Kirin Burning Man, Black Rock City, US 2017 Anahata Series Streets of Hong Kong, Awethentic Gallery, Hong Kong 2017 Alarm of Hue, Text Me, Waking Life 2017 Spectrum Manners Anahata Series Art Home: Meditation, Green Art Asia, Hong Kong 2016 Gon Kirin Chalk The Block Arts Festival, El Paso, Texas 2016 Spectrum Manner ii ISEA2016 Open Sky Project, International Commerce Centre, Hong Kong 2016 Bacillus Institute of Contemporary Art London's 70th Anniversary, Harilela Mansion, Hong Kong 2015 Dark Matter Artistes à la une, Palais de Tokyo, Paris 2015–16 Seven Keys Supernova X'mas Luminastic, K11 Art Mall, Hong Kong 2015 Positive Void Clockenflap 2015, Hong Kong 2014 Spectrum Manners SCMP Charity Art Auction, Sotheby's Art Gallery, Hong Kong 2014 Bacillus 1st HK-SZ Design Biennale, OCT Art and Design Gallery, Shenzhen 2014 Positive Void "LOVE", Midtown, Hong Kong 2013 Alarm of Hue Interact, K11 Art Mall, Hong Kong 2013 Bacillus Imminent Domain, Asia Society, Hong Kong 2012 Gon Kirin Burning Man 2012, Black Rock Desert, US 2012 Gon Kirin Maker Faire, New York, US 2012 Gon Kirin Maker's Faire, San Mateo 2012 Alarm of Hue, Shades Dynamicism, Waking Life, POV Transmutation, New York 2012 Mega POV i Light Marina Bay 2012, Singapore 2011 Text Me Legacy and Creations — Ink Art vs Ink Art and Art vs Art, Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong 2011 Spectrum Manners, Shades Dynamicism, Waking Life & Alarm of Hue ART HK 11, Hong Kong 2011 Text Me Hong Kong Heritage Museum, Hong Kong: Creative Ecologies, Hong Kong 2010 Text Me & Theremin Legacy and Creation – Art vs Art Museum of Contemporary Art, Shanghai 2010 POV Series – "Positive Void" Beijing: The Creators Project, 798 Space, Beijing 2010 Gon Kirin 2010 Burning Man Event, Black Rock Desert, Nevada 2010 Phaeodaria Hong Kong Science Park, Hong Kong 2010 POV Series – "Do you see me?" Hong Kong: Creative Ecologies – Business, Living, Creativity Programme at Shanghai Expo, Shanghai 2010 POV Series – "Positive Void" & Theremin ARTHK 2010, Hong Kong 2010 POV Series – "Positive Void" Luminale 2010, Frankfurt 2009/10 The Stage 2009 HK & SZ Bi-City Biennale of Urbanism\Architecture 2009 POV Series – "Do you see me?" Art Basel 2009, Miami 2009/10 POV Series – "Positive Void" "Fantastic Illusions – Chinese & Belgian Artists", Arts Centre Buda Kortrijk, Belgium 2009 POV Series – "Positive Void" Shanghai eArts Festival 2009, Museum of Contemporary Art, Shanghai 2009 PROTOTYPE I/O, Media Art Gallery, Hong Kong 2009 Constant Series Ztampz Shop, Hong Kong 2008 Phaeodaria Microwave A-Glow-Glow at Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong 2007 Stella Via Technologies headquarter office building in Beijing, China 2006 International visual arts residency An Tuireann Arts Centre, Isle of Skye, Scotland 2006 M.I.S.T. Innocentre, Hong Kong 2006 Cing: Core 65 The Esplanade, for Singapore National Day 2006 Morphology 3.1 U.F.O. Building, Frankfurt, Germany 2006 M.I.S.T. Traxon Technologies Showroom, Frankfurt, Germany 2006 M.I.S.T. InterTraffic 2006 Expo, Amsterdam, the Netherlands 2005 Morphology 2.1 DDM Warehouse, Shanghai, China 2005 Featured artist Russell Simmons' Art For Life in Hamptons, NY 2005 Infinity Car "Study in Red" Campaign Trinity Square 2004 Q Chung King Building, Hong Kong 2004 Ledusoid @ Gonflables! Tri postal, Lille, France 2004 LightRide Cotco showroom in Science Park, Hong Kong 2004 Artery M5 Seamless Fashion Show, Chicago 2004 Starfish PSI at Volume, Brooklyn 2004 Traffika The ArtExpo 2004 in Jarvis Center, NY 2004 Q Photonics Center lobby in Science Park, Hong Kong 2003 Traffika Boundless 2003, Queens, NYC 2003 (Debut) Morphology Solo Exhibit Studio DiModica, Soho, NYC
Recent Artworks 1. BEWILDERED UNIVERSE “PIA03606” Bewildered Universe “PIA03606” is an abstract artwork that conveys the frequency of energy in our universe. Inspired by nebula images by NASA and the concept of time from Chinese I-Ching philosophy, the artwork hypothesizes a transcendental state of energy vibrations with the still imagery. The image captures light travels from thousands of light years ago. Various paint pigments on the image react to an invisible UV spectrum of light. These effects, made with kinetic LED light, depict the relations of the object's distance from planet earth through the speed of light. The calculations follow the theoretical concept of time proposed with the theory of fractal geometry, which differs nature's phenomena in kind by fractal and infinite math. The work explores a neo-transcendental quality of ancient philosophy with modern technology – a bewildered universe beyond our comprehension that affects the consciousness of matter.
(The artwork is a collaboration with AI Artist - MICA)
2. ANAHATA SERIES | CELESTE PRIZE, LONDON, UK