Chen Hui-Chiao 陳慧嶠 Taiwan, b. 1964

Chen Hui-Chiao has been a pioneer in the Taipei art scene since the 1990s. She is the co-founder of IT Park, the first independent artist-run space in Taiwan. With an art education tied to the avant-garde practices of the 80s, Chen’s artistic practice is choreographed between contradictions, translated through a diverse range of mediums including paintings, sculptures and installations.

Known for pushing extremely simple materials to their limits, Chen exploits needles, needlework, rose blossoms, and ping-pong balls in her work, using them to create complex narratives and layered metaphors. Oppositions such as “yielding/contrary,” “fantasy/danger,” and “desire/loss” echo the coquetry and acquisitiveness of women. The progress of Chen’s work can be read as a parable for feminine awakening. She transforms her sensual and poetic vision into a rational and idiosyncratic visual vocabulary that reflects the spiritual connections between art, life and the body.