Typei Hang

​杭田平

Chinese Multi-discipline Artist 

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In the sweltering heat of late August, we made our way to Typei Hang’s studio in the Liangzhu area of Hangzhou—a place that’s both his workspace and home, where he lives with his mother. Among rows of similar-looking rural houses, we searched for subtle signs that might reflect Typei’s work. Then, on the second floor of one house, a young man in glasses waved down to us. His home blended with the others, with its door open and peanuts spread out to roast in the 40-degree sun. Inside, faded floral wallpaper, a beaded doorway curtain, and the sounds of pots and pans from the kitchen exuded an inviting, lived-in warmth. As I adjusted to this unassuming setting, so different from the precision of Typei’s work, we entered a room filled with Bach’s music softly playing in the background.

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Stepping inside was like entering Typei’s personal universe. Since graduating college over a decade ago, he has kept to a daily creative rhythm, devoted to exploring design across various materials and forms. His compact studio overflows with items from each chapter of his journey: leatherwork, ceramics, cameras, architectural models, vinyl records, stones, and photographs—all bearing his artistic signature. In recent years, he has focused on light fixtures, with each piece meticulously crafted down to the millimeter. Themes of “lightness” and “flow” shape his work, each fixture moving subtly to Bach’s rhythms and the room’s gentle air currents. Some materials are experimental, even requiring him to modify his watchmaking tools to drill precise 1mm holes for delicate titanium wire, underscoring his dedication to craftsmanship.