Curator
Curator Yung-Hsien CHEN
Yung-Hsien CHEN (born in Taiwan) is a distinguished figure in contemporary art, operating across the roles of artist, independent curator, critic, and researcher. He possesses a rigorous academic foundation, culminating in a Ph.D. in Arts and Communication from the University of Brighton, U.K., complemented by advanced studies in Visual Arts at Goldsmiths, University of London, and both an M.F.A. and B.F.A. from the National Taipei University of the Arts. Dr. Chen is a vital contributor to Taiwan's arts infrastructure, notably as the founder of the influential Taiwan International Video Art Exhibition (TIVA) and the RANDOMISE Festival. He currently serves as a Professor at the National Taiwan University of Arts.
Chen’s artistic practice centers on exploring the fluid relationship between the body and society, people and the environment, and the self and others. His work is a sustained inquiry into the influence of social norms and the rules of life on the individual, offering profound reflections on contemporary life phenomena and social contradictions. His extensive solo exhibition history includes acclaimed shows such as “The Song of Body”, “One in a Loop,” “Into/Out off the Other”, “Routes in/Outside” and “The Recluse”. This compelling body of work has garnered significant international recognition, leading to over a hundred invitations to exhibit at museums across Asia, the Americas, and Europe. Furthermore, his international standing is affirmed by his tenure as an Artist-in-Residence at the Watermill Center in the United States, alongside major accolades like the Back's Future Prize for Film and Video (U.K.) and the Maple Leaf Award of Bronze Maple (Canada).
Chen's extensive curatorial portfolio demonstrates his pivotal role in launching and advancing new media and moving image art dialogues globally. His international endeavors include the forthcoming "RANDOMIZE Taiwan" (2025) and "Voice of Rolling Tides" (Spain, 2025), “Diffusion Wave”(2025), "The Era of Compound Eyes—RANDOMIZE" (2019), "RANDOMISE Taipei" (2004) and "RANDOMISE London" (2002). As a key figure in Taiwan's video art scene, he founded the Taiwan International Video Art Exhibition (TIVA), which has featured landmark shows like "Dwelling Place" (Hong-Gah Museum, 2010) and "Eattopia" (Hong-Gah Museum, 2008). Other notable international engagements include the "EXiM—Experimental Video Festival" (Macau, 2023), and " Beyond the Mirage—New Media Art Exhibition" (Miami, 2009). Beyond the international platform, his local curatorial work consistently explores critical themes of identity, dwelling, the body, and socio-cultural reflection. Major recent exhibitions include "The Artist and the Image of the Self" (National Center of Photography and Images, 2024), "Beyond the Transcendent Body and Landscape" (2023), "Reflections on the Dwelling" (2022), and "Dwelling in Peace and Migration" (2021). Additionally, his practice encompasses diverse media and cultural topics, ranging from the pandemic reflection in "COVID-19 vs art" (2020) and thematic explorations of food and culture in "A Spot of Culinary Creations" (2017), to historical art research in "The Academic Traces of Chang Kuang-Bin" (Kuandu Museum of Fine Arts, 2016).
His work has been featured in international festivals such as the Proyector Festival (Madrid), the Suwon International Art Project (Korea), and the EXiM 2022—Experimental Video Festival (Macau). He has been selected for dynamic media and biennial exhibitions, including "Vortex Quadrant: International Dynamic Media Arts Exhibition", "The Era of Compound Eyes—RANDOMIZE," the "Greater Taipei Biennial of Contemporary Arts" and the " RANDOMIZE Festival". His deep engagement with complex social and cultural narratives is evident in shows like "Variable Disharmony", "Gods and All Sentient Beings", "To the Ordinary People-Walking in Wanhua" and "Huannan Market Feast" Furthermore, his thematic work on the body, perception, and dwelling includes exhibitions such as "Contours of Perception", "Optical Illusion of the Body" (National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts), "Reflections on the Dwelling", "Dwelling in Peace and Migration" and the timely "COVID-19 vs. Art: Creative Forum on the Pandemic Phenomenon"...etc.
Dr. Chen has made significant scholarly contributions to contemporary art theory and new media. His authored books include "The Stalker", "The Apocalypse of Video Art," "British Contemporary Art Trends", "The Song of Body", "Into/Out of the Other" and "The Art of Taiwanese Illustration". He has also served as the editor for specialized volumes, including "Contemporary Technology and Video Art" and "Beyond the Mirage: New Media Art."