Wu Tien-chang : Never say Goodbye / La Biennale di Venezia

Wu Tien-chang solo exhibition in the Palazzo delle Prigioni Venice Italy
May 9, 2015

With an eye to the nature of the exhibition venue Palazzo delle Prigioni as a former prison, this year's Taiwan Pavilion will feature artist Wu Tien-Chang, who will evoke the memories and nostalgia in people's hearts under the title “Never Say Goodbye”. Like ghosts haunting the prison, they refuse to leave, unwilling to let go of the love and hate of this world.

Using mask-like artificial skin membrane, exaggerated and exotic images and a magical visual expression, Wu Tien-chang depicts the life of those in the lower echelons of Taiwanese society and the joys and sorrows of human life. Through spectacular light and sound performances, he evokes the unique spirit of the age and the peculiar mood in Taiwan during the era of post-war westernization. The skin membrane full of sensuous temptation and the dazzling magical effects he uses are capable of instantly attracting the viewer's eye. But despite the gaudy and joyful colours, the marginal characters and ghostly aura of the works remind us of the ugly reality and death, as well as the traumatic experiences that come back to haunt us like ghosts.

 

Documentary Production: Lane 216, East