Tjien is one of those people we meet occasionally, brimming with natural intelligence, talent and pure raw energy. As a self-taught engineer, sculptor and constructor of installations at an epic scale it’s no surprise to find his works gracing Marriott, Langham and Four Seasons Hotels, luxury yachts and the forecourts of giant corporations.
The conceptual force behind Chenergy is Javanese born artist Lie Nay Tjien (Hendrato). This master craftsman was exposed to the creative process from a very young age through his mother’s artistic pursuits as a designer of gold jewelry in their hometown of Solo in Central Java.
Tjien was educated in design, in Bali and enjoyed a successful career in interior design before realising that sculpture was the next phase of his creative journey. He now leads a team from a factory near Seminyak, Bali that he has trained to carry out the technical aspects of turning his visions into three-dimensional works of art. From welding, to brazing, polishing to constructing their own machinery to execute bespoke pieces, his teams create marvels in metal that spring from Tjien’s vibrant imagination.
Inspired by natural forms Tjien and his teams transform steel and titanium into artworks that defy comprehension, presenting visual puzzles and organic forms in metal and wood that span table-top to 12m tall installations.