GALLERY ETHER

B16 / Tokyo / Japan

+81 090 2152 1984
info@galleryether.com
https://www.galleryether.com/

CHANG Ching Wen is a Taiwanese artist working with Nihonga (Japanese painting) techniques. Through her work, Chang aims to convey the mixture of feelings like loneliness, memory and pandemic anxiety found in modern people through the portrayal of inorganic landscapes using materials such as Japanese washi paper, Sumi ink, suihi and mineral pigment.

In her current practice, she’s focusing on daily life motifs like windows and rooms. The person who inspired Chang was a Japanese philosopher and writer, Kiyoshi Miki. In one of his quotes, “Loneliness is not found in the mountains, but the street. Loneliness is not found within the individual but between the crowds.”

Chang sees the windows as the exits and entrances of people, while each window has its own story and each room is a space where memories, loneliness and anxiety gather. The mundane scenery like school corners and house rooms are shielded with memories and emotions even when no one is present. Therefore, Chang uses an almost claustrophobic composition of a closed space to create a scene that overflows with her narrative.

Chang's work is deeply rooted in her experiences with loneliness and memory during her time in Japan. Utilising traditional Japanese art materials such as washi paper, ink and mineral pigments (iwa-enogu), she expresses a sense of detachment that is often present in modern urban environments.

Living in a country characterised by strict social norms and a rigid lifestyle serves as the primary inspiration for Chang's art. She often notices the precise design of spaces in the streets, buildings and even the natural landscapes around her, a kind of environment that provides a backdrop of introspection, yet it also evokes a subtle sense of isolation within the collective society.

Chang's paintings typically feature calm, two-dimensional compositions. Whether depicting a street under a clear sky or a serene residential area, her work conveys a quiet ambience that leaves a profound impact on her memory, becoming an essential element of her art. Through variations in colour, light and atmosphere, Chang captures the stillness and contemplation of daily life, aiming to capture moments of parallel loneliness and memory. This approach is not simply a reproduction of lived experiences; rather, it serves as a process for contemplating and navigating the emotional and mnemonic complexities of her surroundings.