What do you want to say to your unborn child, who has yet to experience this world?
Artist Wen-Li Chen wants to talk about the culture of indigenous Taiwanese peoples and where their future lies, and about the topic of personal identity.
A new exhibition, To My Unborn Child, by Taiwanese artist Chen, will be on display at Richmond Art Gallery, in partnership with Centre A: Vancouver International Centre for Contemporary Asian Art.
The installation, which includes various modes of images and a book written by Chen, explores Chen’s feelings regarding her ethnic heritage as she lies on the cusp of giving birth to her first child.
“I’m feeling a sense of crisis,” said Chen, who is half indigenous and half Han ethnicity – the majority ethnic group in Taiwan now. She grew up in Taiwan and immigrated to the U.S. in 2015.
“The most common languages I use now are Chinese and English, which is also common for many people, but the language and culture of indigenous Taiwan is fading away,” said Chen.
The exhibition includes historical artifacts juxtaposed with fictional elements that blur together memories, colloquialisms, family biographies, and local histories from Chen’s life before she immigrated to the U.S.
Central to the exhibition is a “Zu Pu” or family tree, which is an attempt to provide information about a people and culture.
“I grew up with my grandparents who are indigenous and I liked the environment they created for me growing up. Then I started to think what kind of environment I wanted to create for my child,” said Chen.
Chen said her unborn child is an imaginary audience member at the exhibition, which draws upon projected images and a book she wrote that is semi-autobiographical.
“The exhibition uses an abstract way to express how other people see indigenous peoples, how indigenous peoples see themselves, and in what ways I want my child to know about this fading tradition,” said Chen.
“One thing I can do for my child is to keep a record of the information and make them available to my child, telling my child that this type of culture and history existed, and teaching him or her the value of difference in culture, ethnicity, history, etc.”
Chen said people visiting her exhibition will have different takes on it depending on their personal experience.
"I think they will more or less catch some of the sense of crisis I am feeling," said Chen.
“As immigrants, we have a responsibility to play a role for our ethnic group, to guide outsiders to get to know the culture and history that is part of us, and to demolish gaps and misunderstandings."
To My Unborn Child will be on display at Richmond Art Gallery from Sept. 14 to Nov. 10.
