RueyShiann Shyu launched the mechanical power series in 1997. Shyu sees it as a challenge to combine precision technology with plastic aesthetics. A work of art may be composed of a single or hundreds to thousands of different components; yet, despite this massive complexity, visually it leaves an impression of simplicity. Through various rhythms in the work, based on precise mechanical theories, Shyu tells stories from his cultural background using a poetic approach.

Shyu views the absolute precision of mechanical movements as an abstract language. This abstract language may convey a living philosophy which, at times, transcends the visual image of the work.

The use of mechanical elements both as a creative medium and as a deeper exploration of the meaning of life, means that Shyu’s machines are infused with living energy, through the rhythm created from the combination of precise components and repetitive mechanical motions.

From the initial concept, the design, making of parts, experimentation of mechanical operations, to their final assembly, each and every work in this series has taken two to three years, often more, to create.

For Shyu, the creation of a work is more than just an extension of his personal feelings; it is also a vivid representation of the vitality of the individual elements that make up the work.