SOLITARY WALKS

Yu Chun Chen／ The undercurrent object／ Bodyisland

Artemin Select Group Show Vol. 001

Artemin Gallery is pleased to announce the opening of “Solitary Walks,” the group exhibition of three Taiwanese artists CHEN Yu-chun, The undercurrent object, and Bodyisland, altogether showcasing 24 recent works. The exhibition is on view from February 24 to March 30, 2024.

The term artist encompasses a vast spectrum of possibilities – taking a closer examination of these three artists’ work, one notes that their unique artistic coordinates and steadfast aesthetic principles are rooted in their distinct attitudes towards art and life.

Chen Yu-chun (1980-) wanders along coastlines or cycles through landscapes, letting her thoughts float along. She is intimately familiar with every twist and turn of the hidden pathways in her beloved places. While she operates in an outdoor setting, she produces subdued-hued pieces imbued with introspection. Her art eschews intricate depictions of figures or objects, thus embodying a strong sense of block-like painterly qualities. Her art is not intended to be didactic, but rather posing some philosophical questions about humanity’s essence, at the same time offering some hints. The ten paintings showcased in this exhibition are reflections of her introspection. She delves into the shadows of her inner self and imagines a state of weightless detachment from reality, while depicting time in her unique manner. Her art lets viewers contemplate issues such as truth, falsehood, reality, and illusion from various perspectives. It is an artistic inquiry that echoes the existentialist assertion that “existence precedes essence.” This is conveyed through her subtle and unassuming style, which assumes a detached observer’s stance while continuously portraying her inner self onto her canvases for introspective examination.

The artist The undercurrent object (1987-) presents four freshly crafted automata for this exhibition, showcasing a delicate balance within complex structures. Their mechanisms intricately intertwine with openings and closures. Opting for such minimalist mechanical devices, crafted from a fusion of wood and metal, The undercurrent object does not prioritize delving into the intrinsic nature or aesthetics of the materials themselves, nor does he seek to unravel the dynamics of power. Instead, his focus lies in applying mechanical devices to objects imbued with spatial sensibility, creating scenarios that vaguely hint to one’s mental state. These automatas invite viewers to engage directly, aiming to evoke their various imagination related or unrelated to the mechanical actions taking place. The synchronicity of continuous and monotonous movements and mechanical sounds create through the interaction with the audience inner sensibility for tranquility and silence. Visually, the linear design and geometric form reflect the artist’s aspiration for orderly spaces and structures. Even when not interacted with, the artworks stand alone, quietly asserting their presence as sculptures in repose.

The artist Bodyisland (1991-) exhibits in his work a vast expanse of mind. For this latest endeavor, he wrote some seemingly enigmatic passages. Whether poetry or mere utterances, words such as these serve as footnotes to his sculptures: “A silver river flows through eternity / Who bestowed upon me this vessel of life? / Who erased everything, including myself, and transmuted it into a tender song?” as well as “She gathers stardust, ignites flames, dances in prayer, for ages and ages until her body becomes wind, the remnants of stardust are lifted, allowing rivers to have river bodies, rocks to have rock bodies, trees to have tree bodies, all growing on the recumbent earth. The wind passes through them, emitting crisp sounds, penetrating the past, seeping into dreams, her joyous song resonating.” The surfaces of Bodyisland ceramic works, along with materials like wood and stone, exude a gentle warmth, with the soul’s essence gently flowing forth. While each of the ten exquisite pieces offer a natural sanctuary for unsettled souls, time, an ordinary dimension and an abstract concept, can be portrayed by the celestial bodies’ power having an effect on the world. Bodyisland’s art depicts a purity honed over extensive periods, his sculptures serving as vessels carrying myriad narratives, with time etched into their very essence.

The three artists each possess a unique resilience against “alienation” understood as a departure from the self. They have somewhat detached themselves from the bustling cityscapes, finding solace in solitude and deriving inspiration from therein. This solitary introspection has nurtured their abundant creativity.

The exhibition “Solitary Walks” presents, through stylistic contrasts and dialogues, the intersecting paths of the artists Chen Yu-chun, The undercurrent objects, and Bodyisland as they endeavor to rediscover themselves to seek answers. To them, the soul’s essence is solitude, yet even on the solitary path, there are companions. The trio delicately attends to their own selves, subtly echoing among each other the notion of “non-unfolding,” thus allowing the exhibition “Solitary Walks” to come to fruition.