Light artist Jun Ong reflects on his career through the prism of his latest work: Krystal Valley

Ong’s Amethyst 01 and Amethyst 02 sculptures incorporate old film photos and negatives from his father’s extensive collection of analogue photography. These images, capturing family travels and Ong’s childhood, are embedded within the crystal structure. Ong notes, “Amethysts are nurturing and protective, subtly embedding a father-son relationship into the structure of the gem.”

The project’s development required nearly six months of research and execution. Ong and his team consulted gemologists, geologists, and crystal enthusiasts to understand the scientific aspects of crystal formation and the emotional influences of these natural wonders. This dual approach of blending science with artistry is a hallmark of Ong’s work. “I like my works to be imaginative while rooted in real-world concepts. But there’s only so much you can research something—it’s still an expression of art and not a science experiment,” Ong says.

A former lecturer in lighting design, Ong admits he has learned a lot about patience in interacting with students and expresses gratitude to his young team. “I needed a lot of extra hands for this [Krystal Valley] project. Some were visual arts students at the Malaysian Institute of Art, and others were architecture or industrial design students. They all come from different backgrounds, united by an interest to create.”

See also: Stroke of Inspiration: The artistic odyssey of Jaee Tee

The artist hopes his efforts will inspire the next generation of creators to see the potential of installation art. “Art does not have to be limited to traditional, visual art. It can be 3D, it can be large-scale, it can be immersive.” Krystal Valley demonstrates Ong’s aspirations, as the exhibition invites visitors to “unearth virtual crystals” through augmented reality by scanning QR codes placed around the crystal sculptures. He hopes the interactive elements will deepen visitors’ appreciation of the art and indirectly encourage reflection on the beauty of the natural world that inspired the installation.

Ong is also open to embracing emerging technologies as he continues to hone his craft. “If you could master AI and do so responsibly, I think it is a powerful tool. It could benefit the world of three-dimensional art, allowing one to visualise multiple iterations of a project in a split second.” 

Looking to the future, the 36-year-old artist expresses enthusiasm for pushing the boundaries of his artistry. Ong is particularly interested in exploring more collaborative projects that extend his work into different mediums. He mentions his immersive “Sound-Light Performance,” featuring Rubinstein award-winning classical pianist Mei Lin Hii. As Hii played the piano, Ong joined the performance, controlling the lights of Krystal Valley in time with the music through a modified keyboard.

Despite being made of found objects and upcycled materials from past works, Ong admits that Krystal Valley is not wholly sustainably made. “I’m still learning about sustainability and don’t want to greenwash my work. That said, taking that first step to be mindful of the environment is important. If you can do that through art, you can teach others.” Ong shares plans for a child-friendly Crystal Lamp Workshop activation to teach people how to make stuff using some of the materials he explored in the Krystal Valley exhibition.

Ong considers what will happen to his installations, consistently eager to repurpose what he can. “I don’t have a massive warehouse to store everything and use a lot of structures that will need to find an afterlife. I think it’s important for all installation artists to consider that.” He hopes to tour Krystal Valley, confident that presenting the crystals in alternative settings could create new narratives.

Don't miss: Iconic Malaysian architect Hijjas Kasturi reveals his personal artistic journey

Asked about his favourite collaboration, Ong mentions his experience creating Astra (2024), a conflux of steel on top of One Raffles Place in Singapore. “That was probably one of my most complicated and ambitious projects ever because I had to work with many different people.” 

Ong mainly collaborated with Rebeca Sanchez of Ledscontrol, whose past career highlights include lighting and stage design for Zouk Las Vegas. “She opened my eyes to the world of music and sound. It took my work with light into a different, less static dimension and made it come to life,” Ong reflects. He hopes to work on more international projects and the chance to collaborate with more talents like Sanchez.

Considering his advice to the next generation of installation artists, Ong encourages them to learn the challenges but be brave in this era that welcomes art colliding with technology. “The Malaysian environment is deeply supportive, with many artists working on installations today. It also helps that the world is so much more connected. It’s easier to get projects, attend workshops and do residencies. I don’t think there’s any reason for people to be nervous about venturing into this field.”

With his career continuing its upward trajectory, Ong continues to explore projects overseas. “I’m working on a project in Amsterdam, with another permanent public art piece set to unveil in Shenzhen at the end of this year.” As an artist who frequently accepts commissions, one of his greatest challenges remains to convey to clients that large-scale works can only be executed with adequate funding. 

“You couldn’t execute a project like Astra at 10 per cent of the budget. If you intend to go big, the funding must be equally substantial. In exchange, you will also see a significant return on investment.” He hopes to continue receiving support to see even bigger dreams come to fruition.

NOW READ

The art movements are dead. Long live the solitary artist

M+ museum’s Sigg Prize Award 2024 winner, Chinese artist Wang Tuo, on his solitary journey as an artist and showing the ‘reality of China’

AI’s creative conundrum: From copyright infringement to artistic originality