Artist Profile: Sharon Tang

Sharon Tang is a Madison-based artist, muralist and scientist who was born in Hong Kong and raised in Queens, NY. After completing her undergraduate degree in Studio Art and Russian Studies, she taught kindergarten and first grade. She then earned her Masters degree in Speech-Language Pathology. Sharon is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Cellular and Molecular Biology at UW-Madison. She often draws on her experience in education, communication and the sciences to drive her creative practice. She is passionate about distilling complex concepts into digestible access points to create public art that encourages viewer-led experiences of discovery and connection. 

1) What are 2-3 inspirations that have affected your growth and artistic process in the past several years?
As a mural artist, I draw inspiration from the people, communities and spaces that I encounter. Recently I’ve been inspired by my own community of scientists. Perhaps it’s being a teacher at heart, but seeing the passion that other scientists have for their research translates to all sorts of ideas for conveying their topics through public art. Knowing that most people don’t have the access to understand highly specialized science is a welcome challengeand I was lucky to explore creating genetics-inspired art as a Kohler Art Fellow through the Wisconsin Institute for Discovery this past year. Through this fellowship, I was able to connect with UW Makerspace which has been an incredible home-base for expanding my own technical skillset in a truly supportive environment. I’ve dusted off some old woodworking skills; learned how to use CNC routers; and gained experience in electrical wiring and electronics to broaden how I build art experiences for audiences. I now have a definite itch to incorporate more interactive layers into my work moving forward.

Image of Genetic Symphonies: The Building Hox of Life, an installation exhibit traveling around UW Madison until May 2024

2) How do you sustain your creative energy among facets of your work—from your own academic work to engaging communities in murals, to the muraling work itself? 
Pacing myself has always been a work in progress. (Some days are far better than others!) But I’ve learned that finding the right mix of projects helps keep me going. Part of this is being strategically mindful of the varying aspects that come with the very different types of work that I do. After spending time taking care of cells or imaging under the microscope indoors, it’s invigorating to engage in the greater physicality of mural making in public spaces—especially on a day with good weather! Likewise, I find it refreshing to counter my research tasks, which are typically solitary, quiet endeavors, by working with groups which allows me to focus on others during community mural engagement. I’m not an extrovert by any means, but having that variety of input/output allows me to approach my work with fresh appreciation no matter what I’m working on.

I’ve also learned the importance of working in “seasons” to maximize my creative energy. I’m still learning how to fine-tune this, but I’m coming around to the fact that sometimes “balance” looks more like hitting pause to focus deeply on one project for several weeks or months before returning to other aspects of my work.

3) What is something you hope people take away from you as an artist when they encounter your artwork?

I hope people feel invited to make their own connections—whether that be finding a sense of belonging in a public space or uncovering a way to explore complex scientific concepts on their own terms. With my science-inspired art, I hope people find an element of fun and walk away with a curiosity for learning more. 

4) What are 2 to 3 exhibitions, concerts, books, spoken word events and/or films you're hoping to check out this fall/winter in Wisconsin or virtually?

• I recently went to Gleam at Olbrich Gardens—I try to go each year because I love seeing how the art changes the entire experience of the gardens with each installation.

• I’d like to see the Absolute Zero exhibit at Wisconsin Union Theater in the Main Gallery (on the second floor) before it closes on November 17. I’ve always been fascinated by glass and I’m looking forward to checking out how the artists use it to convey natural elemental influences.