The Materiality of Memory
Renai Township, Taiwan, provides the origin point for Chen Sung-Chih. The path from these roots leads through the Graduate Institute of Plastic Arts at Tainan National University of the Arts, where a foundation in mixed-media installation begins to take shape. The work does not rely on traditional canvas but on the manipulation of physical matter. Everyday materials are gathered and assembled with a specific intent: to find the fragments of life that often go unnoticed.
The process is one of transformation. Cold, mechanical elements meet organic textures. In the Polar Region Series, the artist brings together smooth, mirror-like stainless steel and the rough, tactile surfaces of sculpted clay. This juxtaposition creates a landscape born from imagination rather than direct observation. Light moves across these surfaces, shifting as shadows fall over the metal shafts and carved earth. The result is a reconstruction of an environment that feels both distant and deeply personal.
A Landscape of Dualism
The work functions through a tension between opposites. There is a deliberate friction between the hollow and the concrete, the smooth and the rugged. This duality reflects a broader exploration of contemporary existence—the ebb and flow of material goods against the permanence of structure. The artist uses these textures to piece together scattered emotions, creating scenes that mirror the complexity of the earth's poles.
The physical presence of the installations often demands a specific space. Notable exhibitions have placed these works in diverse settings:
- Fubon Art Foundation Very Fun Park, Taipei
- National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts, Taichung
- Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts, Kaohsiung
- Museum of Contemporary Art, Taipei
- Gallery Vacancy, Shanghai, China
Recognition and Global Presence
The trajectory of Chen Sung-Chih involves a series of international residencies that have expanded the scope of his installations. From the Cité Internationale des Arts in Paris to the ISCP in New York, these periods of exchange have integrated global perspectives into his practice. His work has been recognized through various honors, including the Hsiao Chin Creation Award (2022) and the Espace Louis Vuitton Taipei Audition First Prize (2013).
His collections are held in significant institutions across Taiwan, ensuring that these explorations of material and space remain part of the permanent artistic record. The works continue to inhabit spaces ranging from the National Art Museum of China in Beijing to galleries in Los Angeles, maintaining a focus on the intersection of physical substance and psychological depth.
