Suman Weng

sculptor

Based in Tokyo, b.1994

Suman Weng is a PhD candidate at Tokyo Zokei University, working between Japan and Taiwan. She practice explores unembellished wood carving with mechanical structures, adding mobility and interactivity. Rooted in cultural memory and personal upbringing, Weng’s work draws from ancestral worship traditions and the imagery of deities venerated in ancestral rites, reflecting childhood experiences in rural China. Exhibiting across Asia, including Westbund Art & Design (Shanghai) and Taipei Art Fair, they critically examine societal and cultural dynamics through tactile engagement and humor. She work has received accolades such as the JIA Illustration Award (Bronze Prize) and IAG Awards Grand Prize Runner-up.

SHOP

ARTWORKS

  • Invisible Self

    WOMEN: H33.86 × W14.57 × D7.87 in, MEN: H28.35 × W5.51 × D0.79 in, 2024

  • My practice stems from a desire for dialogue —I want my works to be more than objects of observation; they should actively respond to and engage with the audience. Using wood as my primary medium, I incorporate metal hinges and other mechanical elements to create sculptures with unexpected mobility, generating dramatic tension between stillness and movement.

  • Invisible Self

    WOMEN: H33.86 × W14.57 × D7.87 in, 2024

  • Invisible Self

    WOMEN: H33.86 × W14.57 × D7.87 in, 2024

  • Invisible Self

    WOMEN: H33.86 × W14.57 × D7.87 in, 2024

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  • X gender (pink)

    H42.52 × D4.92 × W5.31 in, Wood, Color, 2022

  • Wood carries traces of time—it is both a witness to history and a vessel for human emotion. For me, the process of carving is akin to conversing with the material, with each cut shaping its latent vitality. I integrate elements of humor to challenge the traditional static nature of sculpture, introducing a sense of "uncertainty"—these pieces may unexpectedly open, close, or shift in response to touch. This kinetic quality not only breaks the conventional boundaries of sculpture but also reflects the fluid and intricate relationships between individuals, society, history, and culture.

  • YELL-POOL & YELL! POOL! GIRL!

    H24.02 × W3.94 × D1.57 in, H24.8 × W4.72 × D2.95 in, Wood, Colors, 2024

  • YELL! POOL! GIRL!

    H24.8 × W4.72 × D2.95 in, Wood, Colors, 2024

  • YELL! POOL! GIRL!

    H24.8 × W4.72 × D2.95 in, Wood, Colors, 2024

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  • Syncronize

    H8.07 × W3.94 × D1.57 in, Wood, Colors, 2024

  • Growing up in rural China, I developed a deep fascination with the sculptural forms found in ancestral worship. These wooden figures are more than ritualistic symbols; they serve as intermediaries between the human and the transcendent. In my work, this spiritual essence is reinterpreted through a contemporary lens, preserving the sincerity of wood carving while incorporating the cultural landscapes of today. I explore the subtle structures within Chinese and Japanese societies, navigating the space between humor and critique. Through sculpture as a metaphor, I invite viewers to engage beyond the surface and discover deeper layers of meaning.

、

  • YELL-POOL

    H24.02 × W3.94 × D1.57 in, Wood, Colors, 2024

  • YELL-POOL

    H24.02 × W3.94 × D1.57 in, Wood, Colors, 2024

  • YELL-POOL

    H24.02 × W3.94 × D1.57 in, Wood, Colors, 2024

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  • Invisible Women

    H30.31 × D3.94 × W3.15 in, Wood, Aluminium, Color, 2024

  • Jump Girl

    H7.09 × W1.18 × D0.98 in, Wood, Colors, 2024

  • Jump Girl

    H7.09 × W1.18 × D0.98 in, Wood, Colors, 2024

  • Invisible Friends

    H31.50 × D6.30 × W5.12 in, Wood, Color, 2023

  • Invisible Friends

    H31.50 × D6.30 × W5.12 in, Wood, Color, 2023

  • Invisible Friends

    H34.65 × D6.30 × W5.12 in, Wood, Color, Chinese Ink, 2023

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EXHIBITION EXPERIENCE

  • Awards

    2023

    • JIA Illustration Award, Bronze Prize

    2022

    • muni art award 2022, Finalist
    • IAG AWARDS 2022, Runner-up IAG Grand Prize
    • Tokyo Zokei University Graduate School, Zokei Prize

    2018

    • 6th National Illustration Biennale, Excellence Award
    • Shenzhen University Graduation Project, Excellence Award
    • 2nd Guangdong Contemporary Ceramic Academic Exhibition, Bronze Prize

    2017

    • 1st Shenzhen Contemporary Ceramic Exhibition, Bronze Prize

  • Solo Exhibitions

    2022

    • Memories of a Foreign Land (Odakyu Shinjuku Art Gallery)

    2024

    • LONG VACATION: From Monastery to Tea Restaurant (Galerie OVO, Taiwan)

  • Group Exhibitions

    2025

    • The Rooms (Takaoka Dozo Machi Museum, Toyama, Japan)

    2024

    • SUPER OPEN STUDIO (Studio Katakuriko)
    • The 2nd Contemporary Art Exhibition (Han Tao Art Museum, Jinan, China)
    • Westbund Art & Design (Shanghai, China)
    • Taipei Art Fair (Ginza Shukado Gallery)
    • Tenowa Forest Art Museum (Musashi Kokubunji Park, Wild Bird Forest, Tokyo)
    • Studio Katakuriko Exhibition (Yubi Koubou, Kurashiki, Okayama)
    • muni Art Award Selection Exhibition 2024 (GALLERY SCENA)
    • My Sculpture 2024 (Gallery & Café Gigi)
    • Nearby Expanses (French Cultural Center, Beijing)
    • Artist-in-Residence (Takaoka Dozo Machi Museum, Toyama, Japan)
    • Eternal Daytime (Gallery MC, Shenzhen, China)

    2023

    • SUPER OPEN STUDIO 2023 (Studio Katakuriko)
    • Taipei Art Fair (Galerie OVO, Taiwan)
    • Where Our Passion Rests (GARELIE SOL, Ginza)
    • JIA Illustration Award 2023 (798 Art Zone, Beijing)
    • EPOCHS - Music & Art Collective (Rising Field, Karuizawa)
    • Foshan Art Triennale (Shijingyi Liu Ziying Cultural Art Museum, Foshan, China)

    2022

    • muni Art Award (GALLERY SCENA)
    • Top Fermentation (Tennozu Central Tower)
    • Tenowa Forest Art Museum (Musashi Kokubunji Park, Wild Bird Forest, Tokyo)
    • Taipei Art Fair (Galerie OVO, Taiwan)
    • Intersection: Four-Person Exhibition (ABG Gallery, Ebisu)
    • Ikebukuro Art Gathering Open Call Exhibition (Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre, Gallery 1&2, 5F)
    • Memory and Landscape: Curated Exhibition (Gallery FACE TO FACE)
    • LIFELINE: Curated Exhibition (Gallery FACE TO FACE)

    2021

    • Musashino Art University ✕ Tokyo Zokei University Exchange Exhibition (Zokei Gallery, Tokyo Zokei University)
    • Sculpture Haiku 575 (National Taiwan University of Arts)

    2020

    • Creatre 7 (The Artcomplex Center Gallery)
    • Aesthetic Harmony: Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts 10th Anniversary Exhibition (Vanke Plaza, Tianhe, Guangzhou, China)
    • Illustration Journey: International Illustrator Group Exhibition (No2A Art Space, Shanghai, China)

    2019

    • 1st China Illustration Exhibition (Ethnic Culture Palace, Beijing, China)

    2018

    • 6th National Illustration Biennale (Guan Shanyue Art Museum, Shenzhen, China)
    • 2nd Guangdong Contemporary Ceramic Academic Exhibition (Shenzhen Fine Art Institute, China)
    • Shenzhen (Pingshan) International Illustration Exhibition (Dawan Ancestral Residence, Shenzhen, China)

    2017

    • 1st Shenzhen Contemporary Ceramic Exhibition (Shenzhen Fine Art Institute, China)
    • Shenzhen Modern Illustration 100 Artists Exhibition (Dawan Ancestral Residence, Shenzhen, China)

    2016

    • 95th Anniversary of the Communist Party of China Guangzhou Art Exhibition (Guangzhou Art Museum, China)

    2015

    • Guangzhou Youth Art Exhibition (Guangzhou Youth Cultural Palace, China)

    2014

    • 1st Zhongshan Art Expo (Zhongshan Exhibition Center, China)

  • Projects & Activities

    2021

    • Kairiki Meiji Universe First Exhibition Decorative Project (Vanke Plaza, Tianhe, Guangzhou)
    • Featured in YiTiao Media (China)

    2020

    • Collaborated with Yaoji Daily Products Co. to design children's toothbrushes
    • Featured in British magazine VOP UP 2

    2019

    • Collaborated with AUM Apparel Company, responsible for promotional video illustrations and character design
Collaboration

Weng's Shop

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