Meet Dongpu Ling | Intermedia Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Dongpu Ling and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Dongpu, do you have a favorite quote or affirmation?
My favorite quote is: “The creative act is not performed by the artist alone; the spectator brings the work in contact with the external works by deciphering and interpreting its inner qualifications and thus adds their contribution to the creative act.”- Marcel Duchamp, 1957. As an intermedia artist, most of my works are interactive installations and performances. I collaborate with spectators and machines to co-create artwork. This quote speaks to me as it affirms that art is not created in a vacuum but concerning the world around us. It is a reminder that art is a collaborative and communal act.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
As an artist, I work at the intersection of interactive installation and performance art. My work explores the space among digital and physical entities by creating a multidisciplinary relationship with machine intelligence.

I am working on an exciting project, researching the causes of coral reef depletion, ocean mining, mineral impact, and commercial fishing issues. The project will be an interactive installation in which an artificial creature will have real-time conversations with participants, answering any questions they have asked. This work allows me to bring my hobby of scuba diving into part of the creative-making process.

I am proud of my ability to think outside the box and develop creative ideas to address various issues. I get to where I am today by never giving up on my dreams. I’m grateful to have the opportunity to work with talented people and be able to pursue my interests. I learned that time does not exist without a soul/observer, and art does not exist without viewers.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I prefer exotic or exciting places over famous tourist sights. Monday, I’ll bring my friends to take the ferry to Avalon, Santa Catalina Island, and spend the next two days there: get a scooter and tour around the town; hike to Botanical Gardens and watch the sunset on the way back, go snorkeling or scuba diving at the Casino Points. Then after We come back, we will go to the Wi Spa. On Thursday night, a local gallery’s opening show is an excellent place to spend the time; after that, grab a drink at the Hawaiian sushi bar-Kahuna Tiki, or go to El Portal Theater for a show. Friday: visit some vintage stores in Melrose Avenue, Historic Downtown Glendale, or Burbank, and then San Gabriel for good Chinese Sichuan food or to Korean Town for a great Korean BBQ and go to Karaoke after dinner. There are lots of great museums to go to in LA, such as LACMA and the Getty Center, or see a performance at REDCAT on Saturday. On Sunday morning, we would go to the Hollywood farmers market and the Original Farmers Market at night. Another option is to Underwood Family Farms or Frog Creek Farm Ojai to pick flowers and vegetables, then go to Malibu horse riding and finish the day at The Barn at Cielo Farms for wine tasting.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I have many people to thank, from families to mentors to friends. My mom was an art teacher, and my parents helped me develop all my interests growing up. I have great mentors like Tom Leeser, Scott Benzel, Muriel Magenta, Gregory Sale, and Adam Roberts. They are the ones who introduced me to the art world. My friends are always on my side and back me up. Special thanks to Caleb Craig www.calebcraig.com, a Los Angeles-based artist and performer who creates long-term audiovisual projects using immersive media, music production, and digital fabrication techniques.

Website: www.dongpu.studio

Instagram: xestax