BEAM

BEAM(2023)

3D-printed structure, programmed LED lights, stepper motors, and Arduino microcontroller
170 × 60 × 60 cm (66.9 × 23.6 × 23.6 in.) [Range of motion]
1 min. animated loop
· Interplay Kinetic Design Exhibition, Royal Society of Sculptors, 2023
· In collaboration with Wei Zhang (Development) and Luling Wang (Music)

BEAM (Bright Emotive Animated Module) (2023) is a speculative robotic lamp that imagines future household objects as creatures that cohabitate our living space. Where one might see an optimistic future of home robotics that celebrate biophilic sensibilities, others might see a warning for a future where we surround ourselves with mere simulacra. Does it tell of a future where living machines are built out of an admiration for life, or a desperation to mimic what we’ve lost?

BEAM was conceptualized for the 2023 Interplay Kinetic Design Competition and was awarded as a finalist.

[BEAM Technical Tagline Placeholder]

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum

Xin Wen and JJ Agcaoili operate as XJ: a Chinese-American and Filipino artistic duo grown out of London, now working internationally. Their award-winning practice reckons with the human subject in collision with the material and digital structures that determine contemporary life. This focus is embodied in their expansive body of work across experimental video, kinetic sculpture, and immersive installation, which has been exhibited in Stockholm, San Francisco, Taiwan, Linz, Singapore, London, and more.

Exhibitions & Appearances

2026 Solo exhibition, MVR Gallery (Ithaca, New York)
2026 Solo exhibition, Helix Art Space (Stockholm)
2026 Artist Talk, Helix Art Space (Stockholm)
2025 Silent Interference, Turtle Chamber Projects (Taoyuan City, Taiwan)
2025 Alternative Roots, Hoxton Hall (London)
2025 Speculum Artium Festival (Trbovlje, Slovenia)
2025 Artist Talk, Cornell University (Ithaca, New York)
2024 Solo exhibition, Asian Art Museum x RAD (San Francisco)
2024 Into the Future, Whitespace Gallery (Edinburgh)
2024 Artist Talk, Technarte Conference for Art and Technology (Bilbao)
2023 Royal Society of Sculptors (London)
2023 CIRCA2023, Piccadilly Lights (London; also: Berlin, Milan)
2023 Ars Electronica Festival 2023 (Linz)
2023 ART-ACT Festival, Singapore Art Week (Singapore)

Awards & Commissions

2025 Kakilang Commission
2024 Artsted 99 Future Blue-Chip Artists
2023 CIRCA 20:23 Public Vote Prize
2023 Interplay Kinetic Design: Major Award & £1K Grant
2023 Media Architecture Biennale 2023 Finalist

Press & Mentions