◦ lockdown mobile, 2020
at home, london
the mobile & stabile series is a set of study prototypes — small kinetic sculptures, built from household objects, such as a wire coat hanger, a wooden dowel, a sanding disc, or a plastic bottle cap, reshaped and set against a counterweight until it holds still, or sways, in equilibrium. the series began during the 2020 lockdown, when chen turned to whatever materials were already at hand at home, using the exercise as a way to keep making without access to a studio or new material.
working in the tradition of the mobile and the stabile, chen treats each piece as a study in connection as much as balance: objects are joined by whatever the material allows — tied, screwed, clamped, glued, or simply hooked — with the fixing itself often as considered as the object it holds.
the exercise later developed alongside chen's teaching practice into a lecture and diy guide, encouraging others to build their own kinetic sculptures from whatever hardware is close at hand.
#1: milk bottle cap, canister, pine dowel and disc sheet
![]()
#2: sanding disc, socket box and wood ball
#3: metal hanger, butt hinge and wooden ball
#4: shelf bracket, coil spring and eye bolt
#5: tape, bolt, angle bracket and acrylic rod
