The “Girls” series is referred to by many as the “Falling Down” series. The girls in the photographs and also the girls that have been transformed into animals are all captured from the bottom-up in a “falling-down” mode. My objective is to talk about the ambiguous self-awareness and the singularized value outlook observed in today’s modern life, and also the sense of frustration arising from that. “Frustration” is like a beach ball with different colored sections, and to me, it can be quite sexy.
Considering people-related issues, in general, methods that enhance psychological development are adopted in both the East and the West, including religion, psychological counseling, meditation, spiritual formation, lohas, etc. In addition to these, as technological advancement is impacting our lives with a spectacular speed, I think there are many problems that can’t be solved by religion or medicine. This could be observed from the overabundance of religious scams or excessive drug uses that not only are not the solutions being sought after, and instead are inadvertently causing more social problems. Hence, we are bombarded with different social issues on a daily basis. Facebook has become a new platform for social networking, and followers of digital games and virtual world are growing exponentially. People have been staring at their smartphones all the time; when one posts something on his wall, another would immediately press the “Like” button. For quite some time now, I attempt to represent the dynamics of self-awareness in the changing society in my photography. Maybe one should adopt his own standard to examine himself, rather than those set by the media.
An unimaginable and outrageous state can be generated by the difference in perspective. Eccentric behaviors may seem ordinary when viewed from different perspectives. The society seems to function in a reasonable manner, and people endeavor to walk down an obscure but a road already well-traveled. Against this backdrop, this solo exhibition is themed on the uniquely subtle culture and emotions of the Taiwanese. Media language abounds in the life of modern people, generating complex and ambivalent emotions. The normal living space contrasts against the overly made-up woman, whose falling down from certain perspectives is beautiful and almost sexy. In modern aesthetics, these old buildings may be considered a failure. Yet at the same time, they are home to us - the place where our heart is. For human beings, besides dealing with the self, one often is helpless when interacting with the outside world in which one belongs. Our bodies seem to be the only thing within our control. In the end,, those of us who live in this day and age need to discover our own confidence in the world of mixed messages and values.
As for the materials, I used multi-layered printing process to create layers and three-dimensionality on Dibond, the aluminum composite sheets with a solid polyethylene core. Using these processes and materials to create images blending reality and fabrication, I hope to encourage my audience to suspend their habitual ways of seeing and judgments, as there is no experience that can be relied upon to view this series of images.