CHUNG Chia-Chun

CHUNG Chia-Chun solo show: Solider

2023.September.16 — October.22

Hiro Hiro Art Space is delighted to present CHUNG Chia-Chun’s second solo exhibition in Taipei, “Soldier,” from September 16 through October 22, 2023. In this exhibition, charcoal and acrylic are emblematic of two distinct phases in CHUNG Chia-Chun’s physical state during his creative process. When working with charcoal, CHUNG Chia-Chun attempts to dominate the adhesion of the charcoal powder to the paper by varying the pressure with his sensitivity in hand muscle control, aiming to capture the form and shading. This approach accentuates self-consciousness and asserts his instinctive art experience within the dimension of spirituality. Conversely, when transitioning to acrylic, factors like boundaries, symmetry, and color saturation exert a significant influence over his self-expression. Within the confines of the paper’s framework, he meticulously establishes internal rules for the even application of acrylic pigments, placing himself in a labor status. Between the shifts of two creative states, CHUNG likens himself to a soldier, serving as both a vessel of individual consciousness and autonomy, as well as the builder and executor of order. In his artworks, irregular shapes resembling muscle tissue depicted with charcoal and precisely measured cubic structures painted with acrylic are piled up with each other, ultimately constructing a balanced state of equilibrium. 

Graduating from the Department of Fine Arts at Tunghai University, CHUNG Chia-Chun (b. 1992) consistently employs various materials that differ in properties, textures, and color intensity and complements these with control-oriented tools such as masking tape and rulers to portray the relationship between individual existence and the society in his artworks. Departing from his previous presentation of the dissociation of self-awareness in spatiality, CHUNG Chia-Chun’s “Soldier” series directs its focus toward corporality—the body physically engaged in labor and a vessel of mind, emotions, and cognition. The artwork <Transcoding> integrates his creative evolution, spanning from past practice of simulating his inner spiritual world to a recent transformation which he translates sensory experiences through hand and bodily movements into concrete expressions of thoughts and imagination. This perceptual transformation originates from his transition from a civilian to a soldier during his military service.

The soldiers represent an individual with autonomous consciousness, simultaneously symbolizing societal norms over the operation of power, assimilating individual consciousness into overarching collective objectives. They might maintain independent thoughts in their minds, while their bodies should obediently synchronize their actions with commands. In works such as <Cooperation: Grenade> and <Cooperation: Machine Gun>, at first glance, the whole structure appears as weaponry, but they are, in fact, composed of multiple irregular forms and symmetrical geometric shapes. Each irregular form drawn with charcoal navigates the tension between self-restraint and self-assertion, expanding and contorting within the constraints of the overall weaponry’s contours. This also resonates with the relationship between charcoal and CHUNG Chia-Chun’s body. CHUNG describes it as follows: “I attempt to control the charcoal, but the charcoal, through its color and texture, also wields control over my instincts and painting experience, much like a contest between my body (hand) and the medium.”

In the process of applying acrylic, CHUNG transitions into a mechanized labor output mode with a high degree of standardization, imposing significant constraints on the body, and even inducing a controlled passive state. However, this standardized constraint conveys a stable sense of stability to the artworks. As emphasized in Michel Foucault’s theory of the “docile body,” through norms, supervision, and training, standards are established for individual bodies to achieve a more efficient social order. However, rather than entirely adhering to these norms, CHUNG Chia-Chun seeks to comprehend the numerous challenges in balancing freedom and integration. “Order is not simply a composed structure; it may also encompass subtle emotional connections, harmonizing different individuals and elements into a unified rhythm,” he said.

About CHUNG Chia-Chun

CHUNG Chia-Chun, born in Taiwan in 1992, graduated from the Department of Fine Arts at Tunghai University. His artistic practice involves mixed media on flat surfaces, employing various painting styles and mediums like acrylic, crayons, and charcoal to depict different states of being in his artwork. His works have been exhibited in various cities, including Taipei, Tainan, Taichung, Kaohsiung, Yilan, Taitung (Taiwan), Beijing (China), Beirut (Lebanon), and Paris (France).

Works

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