Lin Hsin Hsin



Singapore Infopedia

by Nor-Afidah Abd Rahman

Background

Lin Hsin Hsin is a Singaporean digital media pioneer. With degrees in mathematics and computer science, Lin is an IT inventor, artist, poet and composer.1

Artistic career and technological innovation
Using software and mathematics to create still designs on the computer, Lin began her exploration into digital arts in the 1980s.2 She is said to be the first in the world to create a virtual museum when she launched the Lin Hsin Hsin Art Museum in 1994, showcasing her oil, paper and digital art creations. Lin also created a new tool for viewing complex three-dimensional (3D) artworks,3 and the first 3D digital sculpture in Singapore.4

She pioneered the use of a computer with a 16.7-million-colour digital palette, imaging and graphics software to create digital artworks in the style of Chinese ink and Western oil painting.5 Utilising mathematical formulas and computer algorithms, Lin also generated digital glass and 3D. Her digital and animated sculptures were robosculpted and exhibited in Paris, France, in 1999 at the InterSculpt 99 exhibition.6

In 2007, Lin became the first in the world to create 3D artworks using only mathematical equations.7 She also employed mathematical equations to make jewellery and figurines, which were exhibited at an electronic sculpture event in France in 2009.8 Other technological inventions by Lin include: In-Camera Painting (ICP) – painting with a camera without using a computer (2005);9 creating stereoscopic 3D art without using extra 3D hardware (2011);10 and two new technologies on the Android operating system, Touch and Go (TANGO; 2013), and Sustainable Time-motion Enabled Power (STEP; 2015).11

In May 2015, Lin was invited to stage a digital performance in Paris titled When Equations Dance – TANGO with Lin Hsin Hsin, in which she finger-choreographed 3D structures with music on an Android mobile device in real time.12 A month later in June 2015, Lin presented her solo exhibition, Web Art: Beyond the Semantic Web, at Oxford University’s e-Research Centre during the ACM Web Science Conference. At the event, she presented a series of performances collectively known as “PING (Poetry IN Geometry)”, including the world premiere of the STEP technology.13


Lin’s early works centred on contemporary art before she became active in the digital art scene.14 Her interdisciplinary artistic creations – premised on the philosophy, “science is the governor of art” – are a combination of mathematics, technology, art and music. As at 2014, Lin has participated in over 220 exhibitions across 63 cities in 26 countries, 16 of which were solo exhibitions.15

Besides web art, Lin’s art practice has included various other mediums such as oil painting, papier collés (a type of collaging technique), collage and paper sculpture. She has also used Plexiglas (a type of acrylic glass) to create sculptures.16

Poetry
Besides being a visual artist, Lin is also a poet and has published 10 books of poetry.17 The paintings in her 12th solo exhibition, Back to Nature: 60 Artworks by Lin Hsin Hsin, held in 1992 at Singapore’s National Museum Art Gallery, were inspired by one of her poems.18

Digital music
In 2002, she was invited by Kunstradio Radiotopia acoustic network, a project commissioned by the Ars Electronica Festival and ORF Kunstradio from Vienna, Austria, to present her audio art in a live arts radio programme.19 As a composer, Lin has performed in Pisa, Italy (2005), and Bourges, France (2003, 2005).20

Besides composing and performing, over the years Lin has also created several virtual musical instruments:

2003: Virtual instruments, including the didgeridoo, Brazilian berimbau and pseudo human voices.21
2006: Virtual sound board to create the sound of nature interactively on the web.22
2006: I-Musika: Mobile Interface Musical Expression (MIME), a digital contactless interface that allows musical instruments to be played and be displayed and installed like artworks.23
2012: World’s first mobile phone orchestra on Android.
2013: World’s first finger choreography for live 3D digital performances on Android.24

Selected awards and accolades
1976: Special Award, Ministry of Culture, Singapore.
1979: Tan Tsze Chor Art Award, Singapore.
1985: Silver Medal, Société des Artistes Français, Paris.
1987: First Prize, IBM Singapore Art Award.25
1996: Lin Hsin Hsin Art Museum given the Virtuocity Award by VXR Corporation, USA.26
1996: One of 200 cyber personalities featured in the 24 Hours in Cyberspace worldwide project.27

Selected publications (poetry books)
1989: Take a Word for a Walk28
1991: From Time to Time29
1992: Love @ 1st Byte30
1994: Sunny Side Up31
1997: In Bytes We Travel32
2004: Between the Lines33
2010: To the Point
2011: iWrite34

Selected exhibitions

1980: Abstract Art Exhibition, National Museum Art Gallery, Singapore.
1984: Creativity – Abstract Art Exhibition, Citibank, Singapore35
1985: Salon des Artistes Française, Grand Palais, Paris, France36
1987: Music Observed: The Art of Lin Hsin Hsin, National Museum Art Gallery, Singapore37
1987Bienal Internacional de Arte, Valparaíso, Chile
1989: Where Water Flows: 120 Paintings by Lin Hsin Hsin, National Museum Art Gallery, Singapore38
1989:
 Memoirs of Deutschland I, Marina Mandarin Hotel, Singapore39

1990: Paper Works by Lin Hsin Hsin, DP Fong Galleries, San Jose, USA40
1990: The Art of Reading: Paintings by Lin Hsin Hsin, British Council Exhibition Hall, Singapore41
1990: Lin Hsin Hsin: Werken Op Papier, Stichting Onderneming & Kunst, Amsterdam, Netherlands42
1991: From Time to Time: 123 Paintings and Sculptures by Lin Hsin Hsin, National Museum Art Gallery, Singapore43
1992: Back to Nature: 60 Paintings and Sculptures by Lin Hsin Hsin, National Museum Art Gallery, Singapore44
1993: Memoirs of Deutschland II: 50 Paintings by Lin Hsin Hsin, National Museum Art Gallery, Singapore45
1993: ASEAN Indigenous Art Conference Exhibition, Cultural Centre of the Philippines46
1994: IT’s Happening!: 85 Artworks by Lin Hsin Hsin, Empress Place Museum, Singapore47
1995: Springtij Festival, Utrecht, Netherlands.48
1997: .@rt – A Cyberart Show by Lin Hsin Hsin, Caldwell House, Chijmes, Singapore49
2001: InterSculpt, Mairie du Vieme, Paris, France50
2007: Sculpture Numerique et Biomorphisme, Intersculpt 2007, Hôtel du Département de Meurthe-et-Moselle, Nancy, Lorraine, France51
2009: Astronomie et Darwin, Gare de Metz (salons d'honneur), Metz, France
2011: InterSculpt, Galerie Luc Monod, Les Boulistes, Paris, France52

2013: Montreux Art Festival, Switzerland53
2015: When Equations Dance-Tango with Lin Hsin Hsin, Le Cube, Paris, France
2015: PING in STEP of Time, O’ Reilly Theatre, Keble College, University of Oxford, United Kingdom54



References

1. Shabbir Hussein Mustafa, Yap, J., & Yeo, W. W. (2016). Singapore’s visual artists. Singapore: National Arts Council, p. 298. (Call no.: RSING 709.225957 SHA); The A List. (2014). Profile: Lin Hsin Hsin. Retrieved 2016, December 23 from The A List website: http://a-list.sg/profile-lin-hsin-hsin/
2. Ho, J. (1997, November 28). Mix of art and science like eating laksa and cheesecake. The Straits Times, p. 2. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
3. Pang, J. (2000, January 10). New tool to view 3D art. The Business Times, p. 30. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
4. Chng, G. (1999, October 6). Novel approach to 3D sculpting. The Straits Times, p. 10. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
5. Ho, J. (1997, November 28). Mix of art and science like eating laksa and cheesecake. The Straits Times, p. 2. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
6. Chng, G. (1999, October 6). Novel approach to 3D sculpting. The Straits Times, p. 10; Helmi Yusof. (1999, October 8). No more problem with space. The Straits Times, p. 4. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
7. Tan, I. (2013, January 31). Lin Hsin Hsin, Singapore, was first in the world in July 2007 to create 3D art using equations only. Retrieved 2016, December 23 from Artitute website: http://www.artitute.com/2013/01/31/lin-hsin-hsin-singapore-was-first-in-the-world-in-july-2007-to-create-3d-art-using-equations-only/
8. Yap, E. (2009, November 25). Jewellery made from an equation. The Straits Times, p. 115. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
9. Shabbir Hussein Mustafa, Yap, J., & Yeo, W. W. (2016). Singapore’s visual artists. Singapore: National Arts Council, p. 298. (Call no.: RSING 709.225957 SHA); Tan, I. (2013, January 9). Lin Hsin Hsin, Singapore, was the first in the world to ‘paint’ with a camera without a computer. Retrieved 2016, December 23 from Artitute website: http://www.artitute.com/2013/01/09/lin-hsin-hsin-singapore-was-the-first-in-the-world-to-paint-with-a-camera-without-a-computer/
10. Shabbir Hussein Mustafa, Yap, J., & Yeo, W. W. (2016). Singapore’s visual artists. Singapore: National Arts Council, p. 298. (Call no.: RSING 709.225957 SHA); Lin Hsin Hsin Art Museum. (2016). Lin Hsin Hsin as an IT inventor. Retrieved 2016, December 23 from Lin Hsin Hsin Art Museum website: http://www.lhham.com.sg/biodata/invention/lhhITInventions.html#
11. Shabbir Hussein Mustafa, Yap, J., & Yeo, W. W. (2016). Singapore’s visual artists. Singapore: National Arts Council, p. 298. (Call no.: RSING 709.225957 SHA); Lin Hsin Hsin Art Museum. (2016). Lin Hsin Hsin as an IT inventor. Retrieved 2016, December 23 from Lin Hsin Hsin Art Museum website: http://www.lhham.com.sg/biodata/invention/lhhITInventions.html#
12. Singapore en France – le Festival. (2015, March 3). 26 March – 30 June 2015 Over 70 programmes across 7 cities. Retrieved 2016, December 23 from Institut Français Singapour website: http://www.institutfrancais.sg/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Singapour-en-France-le-festival_-Full-Programme-Listing_as-at-3-Mar-2015.pdf
13. Oxford e-Research Centre. (2015). ACM Web Science 2015. Retrieved 2016, December 23 from Oxford e-Research Centre website: http://www.oerc.ox.ac.uk/news/acm-web-science-2015; Shabbir Hussein Mustafa, Yap, J., & Yeo, W. W. (2016). Singapore’s visual artists. Singapore: National Arts Council, p. 298. (Call no.: RSING 709.225957 SHA)
14. The A List. (2014). Profile: Lin Hsin Hsin. Retrieved 2016, December 23 from The A List website: http://a-list.sg/profile-lin-hsin-hsin/
15. The A List. (2014). Profile: Lin Hsin Hsin. Retrieved 2016, December 23 from The A List website: http://a-list.sg/profile-lin-hsin-hsin/
16. Sabapathy, T. K. (1987, August 16). A choir of colours. The Straits Times, p. 6; Tong, M. C. (1995, April 21). Singapore artist has works displayed in cyberspace. The Straits Times, p. 8. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
17. The A List. (2014). Profile: Lin Hsin Hsin. Retrieved 2016, December 23 from The A List website: http://a-list.sg/profile-lin-hsin-hsin/
18. Lin Hsin Hsin Art Museum. (2014). Back to Nature Series. Retrieved 2016, December 23 from Lin Hsin Hsin Art Museum website: http://www.lhham.com.sg/shop/b2n.html
19. Foo, S. (2002, October 11). When art bytes. Today, p. 31. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
20. Lin Hsin Hsin Art Museum. (2015). Performances by Lin Hsin Hsin. Retrieved 2016, December 23 from Lin Hsin Hsin Art Museum website: http://www.lhham.com.sg/biodata/music/lhhPerformances.html
21. The A List. (2014). Profile: Lin Hsin Hsin. Retrieved 2016, December 23 from The A List website: http://a-list.sg/profile-lin-hsin-hsin/
22. Lin Hsin Hsin Art Museum. (2013). Biodata – Composer. Retrieved 2016, December 23 from Lin Hsin Hsin Art Museum website: http://www.lhham.com.sg/biodata/bio-music.html
23. Lin Hsin Hsin Art Museum. (2013). Biodata – Composer. Retrieved 2016, December 23 from Lin Hsin Hsin Art Museum website: http://www.lhham.com.sg/biodata/bio-music.html
24. Shabbir Hussein Mustafa, Yap, J., & Yeo, W. W. (2016). Singapore’s visual artists. Singapore: National Arts Council, p. 298. (Call no.: RSING 709.225957 SHA); Lin Hsin Hsin Art Museum. (2016). Lin Hsin Hsin as an IT inventor. Retrieved 2016, December 23 from Lin Hsin Hsin Art Museum website: http://www.lhham.com.sg/biodata/invention/lhhITInventions.html#
25. Lim, R. (Ed.). (1990). Singapore artists speak. Singapore: C. H. Yeo, p. 67. (Call no.: RSING 709.5957 SIN)
26. Liew, M. (1996, July 17). Singapore artist scores a first. The Straits Times, p. 3. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
27. Shabbir Hussein Mustafa, Yap, J., & Yeo, W. W. (2016). Singapore’s visual artists. Singapore: National Arts Council, p. 298. (Call no.: RSING 709.225957 SHA); Lin Hsin Hsin Art Museum. (2015). Lin Hsin Hsin’s awards, scholarships & honourable mentions. Retrieved 2016, December 23 from Lin Hsin Hsin Art Museum website: http://www.lhham.com.sg/biodata/lhhawards.html
28. Lin, H. H. (1989). Take a word for a walk. Singapore: Select Books. (Call no.: RSING S821 LIN); Lin Hsin Hsin Art Museum. (2015). Poetry books. Retrieved 2016, December 23 from Lin Hsin Hsin Art Museum website: http://www.lhham.com.sg/biodata/pub/lhhbooksPoetry.html
29. Lin, H. H. (1991). From time to time. Singapore: Select Books. (Call no.: RSING S821 LIN); Lin Hsin Hsin Art Museum. (2015). Poetry books. Retrieved 2016, December 23 from Lin Hsin Hsin Art Museum website: http://www.lhham.com.sg/biodata/pub/lhhbooksPoetry.html
30. Lin, H. H. (1992). Love @ 1st byte. Singapore: World Scientific. (Call no.: RSING S821 LIN); Lin Hsin Hsin Art Museum. (2015). Poetry books. Retrieved 2016, December 23 from Lin Hsin Hsin Art Museum website: http://www.lhham.com.sg/biodata/pub/lhhbooksPoetry.html
31. Lin, H. H. (1994). Sunny side up. Singapore: Select Books. (Call no.: RSING S821 LIN); Lin Hsin Hsin Art Museum. (2015). Poetry books. Retrieved 2016, December 23 from Lin Hsin Hsin Art Museum website: http://www.lhham.com.sg/biodata/pub/lhhbooksPoetry.html
32. Lin, H. H. (1997). In bytes we travel. Singapore; River Edge, NJ.: World Scientific. (Call no.: RSING S821 LIN); Lin Hsin Hsin Art Museum. (2015). Poetry books. Retrieved 2016, December 23 from Lin Hsin Hsin Art Museum website: http://www.lhham.com.sg/biodata/pub/lhhbooksPoetry.html
33. Lin, H. H. (2004). Between the lines. Singapore: Ethos Books. (Call no.: RSING S821 LIN); Lin Hsin Hsin Art Museum. (2015). Poetry books. Retrieved 2016, December 23 from Lin Hsin Hsin Art Museum website: http://www.lhham.com.sg/biodata/pub/lhhbooksPoetry.html
34. Lin Hsin Hsin Art Museum. (2015). Poetry books. Retrieved 2016, December 23 from Lin Hsin Hsin Art Museum website: http://www.lhham.com.sg/biodata/pub/lhhbooksPoetry.html
35. Lim, R. (Ed.). (1990). Singapore artists speak. Singapore: C. H. Yeo, p. 67. (Call no.: RSING 709.5957 SIN); Lin Hsin Hsin Art Museum. (2014). Artist – Biodata. Retrieved 2016, December 23 from Lin Hsin Hsin Art Museum website: http://www.lhham.com.sg/biodata/bio-art.html
36. Gwee, M. (1985, November 18). Six sparkle at Paris art exhibition. The Business Times, p. 11. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
37. Lim, R. (Ed.). (1990). Singapore artists speak. Singapore: C. H. Yeo, p. 67. (Call no.: RSING 709.5957 SIN); Lin Hsin Hsin Art Museum. (2014). Artist – Biodata. Retrieved 2016, December 23 from Lin Hsin Hsin Art Museum website: http://www.lhham.com.sg/biodata/bio-art.html; Sabapathy, T. K. (1987, August 16). A choir of colours. The Straits Times, p. 6. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
38. Lim, R. (Ed.). (1990). Singapore artists speak. Singapore: C. H. Yeo, p. 67. (Call no.: RSING 709.5957 SIN)
39. Lim, R. (Ed.). (1990). Singapore artists speak. Singapore: C. H. Yeo, p. 67. (Call no.: RSING 709.5957 SIN); Lin Hsin Hsin Art Museum. (2014). Artist – Biodata. Retrieved 2016, December 23 from Lin Hsin Hsin Art Museum website: http://www.lhham.com.sg/biodata/bio-art.html
40. Shabbir Hussein Mustafa, Yap, J., & Yeo, W. W. (2016). Singapore’s visual artists. Singapore: National Arts Council, p. 298. (Call no.: RSING 709.225957 SHA); Lin Hsin Hsin Art Museum. (2014). Artist – Biodata. Retrieved 2016, December 23 from Lin Hsin Hsin Art Museum website: http://www.lhham.com.sg/biodata/bio-art.html
41. Lin Hsin Hsin Art Museum. (2014). Artist – Biodata. Retrieved 2016, December 23 from Lin Hsin Hsin Art Museum website: http://www.lhham.com.sg/biodata/bio-art.html; Lee, S. H. (1990, April 8). The artist who has 5000 books. The Straits Times, p. 6. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
42. Shabbir Hussein Mustafa, Yap, J., & Yeo, W. W. (2016). Singapore’s visual artists. Singapore: National Arts Council, p. 298. (Call no.: RSING 709.225957 SHA); Lin Hsin Hsin Art Museum. (2014). Artist – Biodata. Retrieved 2016, December 23 from Lin Hsin Hsin Art Museum website: http://www.lhham.com.sg/biodata/bio-art.html
43. Lin Hsin Hsin Art Museum. (2014). Artist – Biodata. Retrieved 2016, December 23 from Lin Hsin Hsin Art Museum website: http://www.lhham.com.sg/biodata/bio-art.html; Sabapathy, T. K. (1991, July 5). The essence of time. The Straits Times, p. 10. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
44. Lin Hsin Hsin Art Museum. (2014). Artist – Biodata. Retrieved 2016, December 23 from Lin Hsin Hsin Art Museum website: http://www.lhham.com.sg/biodata/bio-art.html; Exhibitions. (1992, August 8). The Business Times, p. 32. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
45. Shabbir Hussein Mustafa, Yap, J., & Yeo, W. W. (2016). Singapore’s visual artists. Singapore: National Arts Council, p. 298. (Call no.: RSING 709.225957 SHA); Lin Hsin Hsin Art Museum. (2014). Artist – Biodata. Retrieved 2016, December 23 from Lin Hsin Hsin Art Museum website: http://www.lhham.com.sg/biodata/bio-art.html
46. Lin Hsin Hsin Art Museum. (2014). Artist – Biodata. Retrieved 2016, December 23 from Lin Hsin Hsin Art Museum website: http://www.lhham.com.sg/biodata/bio-art.html; Artist fashions works of art from pulp of papaya trees. (1993, June 10). The Straits Times, p. 18. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
47. Shabbir Hussein Mustafa, Yap, J., & Yeo, W. W. (2016). Singapore’s visual artists. Singapore: National Arts Council, p. 298. (Call no.: RSING 709.225957 SHA); Lin Hsin Hsin Art Museum. (2014). Artist – Biodata. Retrieved 2016, December 23 from Lin Hsin Hsin Art Museum website: http://www.lhham.com.sg/biodata/bio-art.html
48. Lin Hsin Hsin Art Museum. (2014). Artist – Biodata. Retrieved 2016, December 23 from Lin Hsin Hsin Art Museum website: http://www.lhham.com.sg/biodata/bio-art.html
49. Shabbir Hussein Mustafa, Yap, J., & Yeo, W. W. (2016). Singapore’s visual artists. Singapore: National Arts Council, p. 298. (Call no.: RSING 709.225957 SHA); Lin Hsin Hsin Art Museum. (2014). Artist – Biodata. Retrieved 2016, December 23 from Lin Hsin Hsin Art Museum website: http://www.lhham.com.sg/biodata/bio-art.html
50. Shabbir Hussein Mustafa, Yap, J., & Yeo, W. W. (2016). Singapore’s visual artists. Singapore: National Arts Council, p. 298. (Call no.: RSING 709.225957 SHA)
51. Lin Hsin Hsin Art Museum. (2015). Lin Hsin Hsin’s digital art exhibitions around the world. Retrieved 2016, December 23 from Lin Hsin Hsin Art Museum website: http://www.lhham.com.sg/biodata/art/lhhArtExhibitionsDigi.html
52. Shabbir Hussein Mustafa, Yap, J. & Yeo, W. W. (2016). Singapore’s visual artists. Singapore: National Arts Council, p. 298. (Call no.: RSING 709.225957 SHA); Lin Hsin Hsin Art Museum. (2015). Lin Hsin Hsin’s digital art exhibitions around the world. Retrieved 2016, December 23 from Lin Hsin Hsin Art Museum website: http://www.lhham.com.sg/biodata/art/lhhArtExhibitionsDigi.html
53. Shabbir Hussein Mustafa, Yap, J., & Yeo, W. W. (2016). Singapore’s visual artists. Singapore: National Arts Council, p. 298. (Call no.: RSING 709.225957 SHA); Lin Hsin Hsin Art Museum. (2015). Lin Hsin Hsin’s digital art exhibitions around the world. Retrieved 2016, December 23 from Lin Hsin Hsin Art Museum website: http://www.lhham.com.sg/biodata/art/lhhArtExhibitionsDigi.html
54. Shabbir Hussein Mustafa, Yap, J., & Yeo, W. W. (2016). Singapore’s visual artists. Singapore: National Arts Council, p. 298. (Call no.: RSING 709.225957 SHA)



The information in this article is valid as at 2015 and correct as far as we can ascertain from our sources. It is not intended to be an exhaustive or complete history of the subject. Please contact the library for further reading materials on the topic. 


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