Modified, shifted or transferred elements amounting to new relationships between status and object: herein lies the pulse of Chou Yu-Cheng’s (b. 1976) practice that builds, across multiple mediums, a subtle critique of mass media, institutions and the mechanisms that produce them. A graduate from l’Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts de Paris, and the research programme La Seine, Chou has gained international recognition for his dialectical interplay between the source and results of his creations. Through his selective conversations, Chou shapes a minimal yet deliberate set of intellectual and aesthetic tricks, which ultimately play on the properties of art, object and space.
Running throughout Chou’s practice is the process of cooperation and display. Often borrowing objects from companies, museums or factories, Chou sets to make the mechanism of art production and organisation visible. For example, ‘TOA Lighting’ (2010), a site-specific installation for the Hong-Gah Museum, Taipei, presents itself as a delicate quadrangular ceiling-hung set of neon lights. As the title suggests though, they are lamps sponsored by TOA Lighting Company. Chou thus constructs a deliberate exchange between support for the ‘contemporary plastic arts’ and private enterprise, revealing through titular ownership the exhibition’s commercial element – an interaction that is once more turned on its head by the installation’s addition to the private collection.
A further key element to Chou’s practice is relations with others and how he examines the underlying operations of daily systems, the communications between private and public spheres. ‘A Working History – Lu Chieh Te’ (2012), for which Chou engaged with Lu Chieh Te – a near sixty-year-old temp worker – is a key example. Part of a two-stage process, Chou first conducted interviews with him, posing questions on his history over the last 45 years, an exchange that was ultimately published in booklets. Displayed at the Taipei Fine Arts Museum as part of the final artwork, Chou then hired Lu as a security guard in the exhibition space. Chou thus placed Lu in charge of his own history, whilst adding an element of contradiction as the booklet’s ‘star’ stood, on a daily basis, surrounded by his sudden fame.
‘Molyneux’ (2014) is another example of exchange – a project created after Geoff Molyneux (b. 1951) whereby Chou reinterpreted works from different periods in Molyneux’s career, presenting the history of a Western artist’s formal development from the perspective of his personal identity as an Asian artist. Extending certain tones and properties beyond the contours of Molyneux’s original oeuvre, Chou interprets and appropriates Molyneux’s work in a manner that divorces it from its initial time and place, thus presenting the original to a new audience whilst extending its significance to touch on issues such as copyright, power balance and the definition of an artwork.
‘Chemical Gilding, Keep Calm, Galvanise, Pray, Gradient, Ashes, Manifestation, Unequal, Dissatisfaction, Capitalise, Incense Burner, Survival, Agitation, Hit, Day Light’ (2015) is a further series that exemplifies critical collaborative production. A recurring element is a bold slab of galvanised steel – a common metonymy of department stores and consumerism that simultaneously connotes characteristic elements of cheap housing – dotted by highly physical indentations initiated whilst conducting a residency at the Künstlerhaus Bethanien (Berlin) in 2015. The work as object as statement commenced as a clean steel plate, which members of the public were invited to throw rocks at. As such it evolved from a reflective surface to an interactive sculpture interrogating the act of protest.
Most recently, Chou has been developing a series addressing modernisation and cognitive faculties. “Refresh, Sacrifice, New Hygiene, Infection, Clean, Robot, Air, Housekeeping, www.ayibang.com, Cigarette, Dyson, Modern People” (2017-18) addresses this multifaceted topic through the lense of ‘hygiene’ reflecting the Taiwanese slang phrase “without knowledge and without hygiene” that refers to someone dumb, dirty, without standards. Relative to knowledge, hygiene is relatively abstract – yet, it seems to possess a yardstick by which we gauge modernisation. Through sculpture, performance and recital, this installation series aims to conceptually and formally explore the modern evolution of hygiene, offering the audience a multi-layered interpretation while creating a theatre of daily life.
Chou Yu-Cheng is a highly acclaimed artist who lives and works in Taipei. His notable solo shows include Künstlerhaus Bethanien, Berlin (2015); Kaohsiung Fine Art Museum, Kaohsiung (2015); Taipei Fine Art Museum, Taipei (2014); Kuandu Museum of Fine Arts, Taipei (2011); Museum of Contemporary Art Denver, Colorado (2008). Group exhibitions include Performa 19 Biennial, New York (2019); Biennale de Lyon (2019) ; Liverpool Biennial (2018), Liverpool; Museum of Contemporary Art and Design (MCAD) Manila (2018), Manila; New Museum, New York (2015); Asian Art Biennial, Taichung (2015); Queens Museum, New York (2013); Taipei Biennial, Taipei (2012). Chou held a residency at the Chinese Centre For Contemporary Art (CFCCA), Manchester in 2013 and received the Taipei Art Award, Taiwan in 2012 as well as the Taishin Annual Visual Art Award, Taiwan in 2011. Chou’s work is held in multiple museum collections including the University of Salford; CFCCA, UK; Taipei Fine Art Museum; Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Art.
Chou Yu-Cheng B. Taipei, Taiwan, 1976

“The Phenomenal Transition”, Moca Busan, Busan, 2021. Image courtesy of Moca Busan.

2021
Acrylic on paper, paper mounted on canvas
200 x 150 cm

2021
Acrylic on paper, paper mounted on canvas
200 x 160 cm

2021
Acrylic on paper, paper mounted on canvas
150 x 120 cm

2021
Acrylic on paper, paper mounted on canvas
200 x 240 cm

2020
Acrylic on paper, Paper mounted on canvas
200 x 150 cm

2020
Acrylic on paper, Paper mounted on high hardness MDF (black)
220 x 102 cm

2020
Acrylic on paper, Paper mounted on high hardness MDF (black)
97 x 205 cm

2020
Acrylic on paper, Paper mounted on high hardness MDF (black)
174 x 100 cm

Edouard Malingue Gallery, Taipei Dangdai, 2020
Image courtesy of Edouard Malingue Gallery

Edouard Malingue Gallery, Taipei Dangdai, 2020
Image courtesy of Edouard Malingue Gallery

Edouard Malingue Gallery, Taipei Dangdai, 2020
Image courtesy of Edouard Malingue Gallery

Performance view at Performa 19, New York, 2019
Image courtesy of the artist

Performance view at Performa 19, New York, 2019
Image courtesy of the artist

Performance view at Performa 19, New York, 2019
Image courtesy of the artist

Performance view at Performa 19, New York, 2019
Image courtesy of the artist

Site specific installation, 250 tons of recycled cardboard bales provided by PAPREC Group
Installation view at the 15th Lyon Contemporary Art Biennale, 2019
Image courtesy of the artist and Edouard Malingue Gallery

Site specific installation, 250 tons of recycled cardboard bales provided by PAPREC Group
Installation view at the 15th Lyon Contemporary Art Biennale, 2019
Image courtesy of the artist and Edouard Malingue Gallery

Image courtesy of the artist and MCAD

Image courtesy of the artist and MCAD

Image courtesy of the artist and MCAD

2018
Acrylic on canvas
216 x 180 x 5 cm

2018
Acrylic on canvas
216 x 180 x 5 cm

2018
Acrylic on canvas, Fiber glass
Diameter 100 x 15.5 (D) cm

2018
Acrylic on canvas, fiber glass
Diameter 150 x 23.5 (D) cm

2018
Weathering steel
14 x 9 x 20 cm

2015
Activation at St George’s Hall as part of Liverpool Biennial 2018, 14 October 2018
Photo: Rob Battersby

2015
Activation at St George’s Hall as part of Liverpool Biennial 2018, 14 October 2018
Photo: Rob Battersby

‘Refresh, Sacrifice, New Hygiene, Infection, Clean, Robot, Air, Housekeeping, www.agentbong.com, Cigarette, Dyson, Modern People’, 2017
Encounters, Art Basel Hong Kong 2018

‘Refresh, Sacrifice, New Hygiene, Infection, Clean, Robot, Air, Housekeeping, www.agentbong.com, Cigarette, Dyson, Modern People’, 2017
Encounters, Art Basel Hong Kong 2018

‘Refresh, Sacrifice, New Hygiene, Infection, Clean, Robot, Air, Housekeeping, www.agentbong.com, Cigarette, Dyson, Modern People’, 2017
Encounters, Art Basel Hong Kong 2018

‘Refresh, Sacrifice, New Hygiene, Infection, Clean, Robot, Air, Housekeeping, www.agentbong.com, Cigarette, Dyson, Modern People’, 2017
Encounters, Art Basel Hong Kong 2018

‘Refresh, Sacrifice, New Hygiene, Infection, Clean, Robot, Air, Housekeeping, www.ayibang.com, Cigarette, Dyson, Modern People’
Edouard Malingue Gallery, Shanghai, 2017

‘Refresh, Sacrifice, New Hygiene, Infection, Clean, Robot, Air, Housekeeping, www.ayibang.com, Cigarette, Dyson, Modern People’
Edouard Malingue Gallery, Shanghai, 2017

‘Refresh, Sacrifice, New Hygiene, Infection, Clean, Robot, Air, Housekeeping, www.ayibang.com, Cigarette, Dyson, Modern People’
Edouard Malingue Gallery, Shanghai, 2017

2017
FRP (Fiberglass)
Bowl: Diameter 120 cm, Height 60 cm/each, 6 pcs
Plate: Diameter 160 cm, Height 30 cm/each, 6 pcs
Chopstick: Diameter 7 cm,
Leigh 230 cm/each, 6 pcs

2017 FRP (Fiberglass)
Diameter 120 x 20 cm

2017
Acrylic on canvas
150x 180x 5 cm

2017
3 air cleaners, a bucket of detergent, floor wax, towel, marble texture cutting sheet, fruits
360 x 360 x 70 CM
Installation view
‘Aerobraking’, Pier 2 c7, Kaohsiung

2017
3 air cleaners, a bucket of detergent, floor wax, towel, marble texture cutting sheet, fruits
360 x 360 x 70 CM
Installation view
‘Aerobraking’, Pier 2 c7, Kaohsiung

Installation view at Greater Taipei Art Festival
2016

Installation view at Greater Taipei Art Festival
2016

Installation view at FIAC
2016

2016
Gilt, Velvet, Black-plated steel, Acrylic on canvas
280 x 438.3 cm

2016
Gilt, Velvet, Black-plated steel, Acrylic on canvas
280 x 438.3 cm

2016
Stainless steel plate, coated steel plate, neon, paintings, plaster, fruits
Dimensions variable

2015
Acrylic on canvas
94 x 78 x 3.5 cm

2015
Acrylic on canvas
139.5 x 108.5 x 3.5 cm

2015
Acrylic on canvas, plaster
129.5 x 103.5 x 3.5 cm

2015
Stainless steel
280 x 600 cm

Installation view at ‘The Great Ephemeral’, New Museum, New York, 2015
Image courtesy of the artist

2014
Acrylic on canvas, wall painting, publication, 2 galleries, etc..
Installation view, in solo exhibition “Molyneux”, Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Taipei 2014

2014
Acrylic on canvas, wall painting, publication, 2 galleries, etc..
Installation view, in solo exhibition “Molyneux”, Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Taipei 2014

2014
Acrylic on canvas, wall painting, publication, 2 galleries, etc..
Installation view, in solo exhibition “Molyneux”, Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Taipei 2014

2014
Acrylic on canvas, wall painting, publication, 2 galleries, etc..
Installation view, in solo exhibition “Molyneux”, Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Taipei 2014

2014
Acrylic on canvas, wall painting, publication, 2 galleries, etc..
Installation view, in solo exhibition “Molyneux”, Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Taipei 2014

2014
Acrylic on canvas, wall painting, publication, 2 galleries, etc..
Installation view, in solo exhibition “Molyneux”, Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Taipei 2014

2014
Acrylic on canvas, wall painting, publication, 2 galleries, etc..
Installation view, in solo exhibition “Molyneux”, Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Taipei 2014

2014
Player piano, cleaners, guard booths & radio, students performance
Installation view, in solo exhibition “Liszt”, Kuohsiung Museum of Fine Arts, Kuohsiung 2014

2014
Player piano, cleaners, guard booths & radio, students performance
Installation view, in solo exhibition “Liszt”, Kuohsiung Museum of Fine Arts, Kuohsiung 2014

2014
Player piano, cleaners, guard booths & radio, students performance
Installation view, in solo exhibition “Liszt”, Kuohsiung Museum of Fine Arts, Kuohsiung 2014

2014
Player piano, cleaners, guard booths & radio, students performance
Installation view, in solo exhibition “Liszt”, Kuohsiung Museum of Fine Arts, Kuohsiung 2014

2014
Acrylic on canvas, sound installation: 20mins
Installation view, in the exhibition “Never Odd or Even”, Taipei Artist Village, Taipei 2014

2013
Acrylic on canvas, monochrome painted by Lu Chieh-Te
140 x 290 cm

2013
Tatami on desk, 550 x 366 x 40(h) cm, gouache on silk, 30 x 40 cm, booklet (Chinese), slides, sound and objects provided by persona
Installation view, in the exhibition “Are We Working Too Much?”, Eslite Gallery, Taipei 2013

2013
Tatami on desk, 550 x 366 x 40(h) cm, gouache on silk, 30 x 40 cm, booklet (Chinese), slides, sound and objects provided by persona
Installation view, in the exhibition “Are We Working Too Much?”, Eslite Gallery, Taipei 2013

2013
Tatami on desk, 550 x 366 x 40(h) cm, gouache on silk, 30 x 40 cm, booklet (Chinese), slides, sound and objects provided by persona
Installation view, in the exhibition “Are We Working Too Much?”, Eslite Gallery, Taipei 2013

2012
Acrylic on canvas, contract, transparent tube, wooden panel
200 x 20 x 50 cm

2012
The temporary worker Mr. Lu, booklet (Chinese & English), pattern painted on wooden deck, 500 x 500 x 40(h) cm, News Paper’s Ad
Installation view, in exhibition “Taipei Art Awards”, Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Taipei 2012

2012
The temporary worker Mr. Lu, booklet (Chinese & English), pattern painted on wooden deck, 500 x 500 x 40(h) cm, News Paper’s Ad
Installation view, in exhibition “Taipei Art Awards”, Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Taipei 2012

2012 / Han dynasty (206 B.C. – 220 A.D.)
Serial pottery figurine, sponsored by AURORA Group, vitrine, approx. 240 x 110 x 280(H) cm
Installation view, in exhibition “Taipei Biennial”, Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Taipei 2012

2012
Site-specific installation, bottle of drink on air condition’s tube
Installation view, in exhibition “Taipei Biennial”, Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Taipei 2012

2012
2 similar architectural spots of 2 similar-looking sculptures by artist Yang Po-Ling found in the TFAM collection
Installation view, in exhibition “Taipei Biennial”, Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Taipei 2012

2011
8 tubs of flowers for opening, from 8 art foundations, variable dimension
Installation view, in solo exhibition “Rainbow Paint”, Kuandu Museum, Taipei 2011

2011
Pure white paint sponsored by Rainbow Paint, 192 pails in 12 box, fluorescent lamps
Installation view, in solo exhibition “Rainbow Paint”, Kuandu Museum, Taipei 2011

2011
Pure white paint sponsored by Rainbow Paint, 192 pails in 12 box, fluorescent lamps
Installation view, in solo exhibition “Rainbow Paint”, Kuandu Museum, Taipei 2011

Installation view, in solo exhibition ‘TOA Lighting’, Hong-Gah Museum Taipei 2010

2009
Installation, variable dimension
Installation view, in exhibition “Taiwan Calling” Mücsarnok Kunsthalle Museum, Budapest 2010