Light Painter Roy Wang Joins Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Made of Makers Family
The Chinese artist captures the precision of fine watchmaking through three striking photographs and one stop-motion video.
Through its Made of Makers initiative, Jaeger-LeCoultre continues to explore creative expression outside of watchmaking by collaborating with artists, designers and visionaries from various disciplines. Typography, gastronomy, digital animation, music — the sky’s the limit. The latest fellow to join this family is Roy Wang, a Chinese artist who has gained international recognition for his visually arresting works involving light and photography.
Wang was inspired to pick up the torch when he chanced upon Picasso’s dynamic light drawings from 1949. Following in the legend’s footsteps, the Beijing native “draws” evocative imagery using moving light against darkened urban backdrops, often referencing Chinese culture and mythology.
For Jaeger-LeCoultre, Wang created three photographic images and one stop-motion video to express the precision of fine watchmaking. Unlike the expansive environmental canvas and sweeping movements he is used to, here he has to scale his art down to the miniature dimensions of watchmaking, which requires tiny light-tools and precise wrist gestures.
In the video The Dragon of Time, Wang also combines his light painting with stop-motion animation to breathe life into his signature dragon as it takes a fantastic tour through the Jaeger-LeCoultre Manufacture in the Vallée de Joux.
"Part of the magic of light-painting is that the light effects vanish as soon as they are created, yet they live forever through the photographs."
— Roy Wang
Wang's works debuted at Jaeger-LeCoultre's ‘The Precision Pioneer’ exhibition in Dubai, which runs until 19 May. Check out the video below to learn more about his journey with the watchmaker:
