GF

b.1972, Taipei, Taiwan

White Shark, 2013
fibreglass, video (colour, silent)
7 minutes 55 seconds

Would you dare look a great white shark in the eye? With a body over three meters long, many would avoid such a terrifying encounter. Yet surprisingly, when we gaze into the eyes of Liao Chien-Chung’s fibreglass creation, we’re met with an outrageous video of the artist attempting to surf on its back. Peering into the open mouth of this faux shark, we find not razor-sharp teeth but bare gums. Liao explains that his work emerged from a playful desire to explore our relationship with fear, yielding hilarious results.

b.1976, Luoyang, Henan

United Manufacture_MB-YJ40CM, 2022
United Manufacture_B/2R76, 2022
United Manufacture_YCM-45Q, 2022
resin, rubber paint

“In this era, we are constantly surrounded by the desire to consume,” says Liu Zhan, “receiving packages from various places every day containing all kinds of daily products we’ve purchased online.” The artist observed that these products all shared a common feature: each had its own packaging box. Using 3D software, Liu recreated and distorted the internal structure of packaging boxes he collected. What was once discarded becomes the basis of colourful sculptures reminiscent of abstract modernist artworks.

b.1976, Luoyang, Henan

United Manufacture—Meat Pistol, 2014
copper, aluminium

Liu Zhan draws inspiration from the endless array of commercial packaging that inundates our day-to-day existence. Without fail, we engage in a familiar routine: opening a package, taking out the product, and discarding the box. “This process has become a part of our lives,” says the artist. But what if you received a severed hand shaped like a gun, contained in its own customised packaging? The artist deliberately creates a jarring contradiction to disrupt our repetitive actions, while the symbolism of the gun challenges the aggressive nature of consumerism.

b.1971, Nantou, Taiwan

RX78-2, 2015
ceramic

While watching the anime Gundam, Kung Wen-Yi had an idea. He remembered how deeply Chinese culture influenced Japan during the Tang Dynasty, where ‘Tang artifacts’ were highly revered. He also considered how his native Taiwanese culture was shaped by the Japanese colonial period, and how a fascination with Japanese pop culture endures today. This inspired him to remodel the “RX-78-2,” a manned robot from Gundam, using Tang Sancai, an iconic style of tri-coloured glazed pottery. The result is a remarkable hybrid fusion of diverse times and cultures.

b.1978, Nanjing, Jiangsu

Maze — Pink Blue, 2016
acrylic on canvas

Frustrated with the endless obsession people have with dissecting the content and meaning of his work, Xu Qu began thinking about mazes. “When people encounter these shapes,” he says, “they immediately and actively participate in a visual game instead of agonising over meanings.” Overlapping, interweaving, and enclosed parts lead people along a variety of different pathways. Within this painting the maze becomes a double image; mirroring itself, it adds to the visual challenge facing the viewer.

1F

b.1995, Handan, Hebei

Sunflowers and Buster Bus Gasol, 2022
Another Side of Buster, 2023
857 857, 2022
Midnight Flower, 2022
Red Shit, 2023
acrylic on canvas

Grotesque characters resembling plasticine dolls from childhood animations take centre stage in Yan Jingzhou’s paintings. These absurd yet joyful scenes feature a quirky protagonist known as “Buster,” who has yellow hair, a big nose, and oversized features. His bizarre adventures unfold like playful tales, rich with dark humour, irony, and a touch of crassness. Exemplifying the modern everyman trapped in the daily grind, Buster represents the bewilderment of a generation. “In any place where Buster is, nothing happens according to normal logic,” says Yan. “Everything is filled with humour and surprises!”

b.1966, Dalian, Liaoning

Untitled (Face), 2020
Untitled (Curly-Haired), 2020
Untitled (Face), 2020
Angel 1, 2020
marble

Upon witnessing the captivating process of a pottery master shaping a clay pot on a wheel, Yang Maoyuan felt compelled to learn more. He began working at the master’s workshop, where he first developed the four black and white busts as clay forms. Once completed, these were transported to Hebei, where a traditional master craftsman reproduced them in pure marble. Believing that art transcends language, Yang felt an indescribable fondness for these shapes. He explains, “Something just inexplicably comes into being.”

b.1958, Kunming, Yunnan

Bathtub, 2017
oil on canvas

When Zhang Xiaogang’s parents were forced to attend a re-education camp during the Cultural Revolution they left behind their lives, their jobs and four young children. For three years Zhang and his brothers were parentless. With only the family walls to shield them from the horrors that unfolded beyond, their internal worlds became increasingly important. Bathtub invites us into these memories, the claustrophobic scene unfurling like a strange reverie. Recalling childhood playacting, the bath serves as a vessel to carry its occupants across turbulent seas, but also a basin for memories and emotions.

b.1965, Langfang, Hebei

Limited Art Project 03, 2012
car paint, oil paint, digital print on canvas

“I think creating art is the same as creating other businesses.” Yan Lei’s vibrant quadriptych was initially part of a salon hang of over 300 oil paintings created by his team of amateur artists for dOCUMENTA (13). Throughout the exhibition, paintings were randomly transported to the Volkswagen factory in Kassel for spray painting, before being returned to their original place. Beneath a glossy finish hides painted copies of Rubens, Velázquez, and Greco. The process highlights the commodification of art and raises questions about the role of corporate sponsorship in artistic expression.

b.1956, Wuhan, Hubei

Becompddg, 2013
plaster

Wang Du’s nine plaster busts pay tribute to the superstars of Surrealism and Modernism; do you recognise them? The title of the work is derived from the first letter of their surnames: Breton, Ernst, de Chirico, Oppenheim, Magritte, Picasso, Duchamp, Dalí, and Giacometti. Taking several months to create by hand, Wang explains that the title is arranged randomly. His artwork references the Surrealists who understood that randomness and chance can serve as powerful creative catalysts, generating new insights from the unconscious mind.

b.1985, Hefei, Anhui

Distorted Tongue, 2018
marble, engine cylinder heads, metal, stone

Fascinated by the concept of the post-human, Tian Mu delves into the symbiotic relationship between humans and machines. He was inspired one day at a scrap metal yard when he came across anthropomorphic machine parts sitting atop a block of marble. “Somehow, I stopped and touched the marble,” he says. “I felt the machine was alive, like a living creature with a phantom limb…” Mixing and merging an eclectic array of natural, medical, and industrial sources, he breathes new life into neglected, forgotten objects.

b.1981, Laiwu, Shandong

Where Are You Going, 2019
Untitled (Bridge), 2020
The Man in the Box, 2020
oil on canvas

“If I really painted something,” reflects Qi Wenzhang, “it would be some of the atmosphere of the times we live in…” Despite revealing that he received no formal training from a Chinese art academy, Qi deftly conjures otherworldly paintings that hover somewhere between reality and fantasy. These liminal spaces are occupied by lonely, nameless individuals who appear to be lost or searching for something. Qi believes that their postures speak for themselves, and in this case, embody a poignant sense of longing and vulnerability experienced by many contemporary Chinese individuals.

b.1981, Laiwu, Shandong

Bonjour, Gaugin 1, 2020
Bonjour, Gaugin 2, 2020
Bonjour, Gaugin 3, 2020
oil on canvas

Qi Wenzhang admits that he has always been fascinated by “painters in paintings.” In his youth, he recalls, “I read biographies and imagined what those artists looked like in another time and space.” Here, he painted three portraits of the famous French painter Paul Gauguin in a row. The defiant pose of Gauguin is foregrounded by wine, meat, flowers, fruit, and a female nude—elements that reference both the tradition of painting and the desires of the artist himself. By painting other painters, Qi believes that you are inevitably also painting yourself.

b.1978, Taipei, Taiwan

Toy Packaging.B – Nose Job Made Easy, 2022
clay, fabric, acrylic on wood
Toy Packaging.C – Searching for the Giant, 2022
fibre-reinforced plastic doll, fabric, acrylic on wood

Shih Yung-Chun has a penchant for collecting vintage toys, often incorporating them into fanciful scenes. Yet here, he remakes the toys entirely, albeit with an eerie twist. Enclosed in carefully reproduced, nostalgic packaging, they appear innocent at first glance but conceal disturbing themes. For instance, Toy Packaging.B – Nose Job Made Easy was inspired by a photograph of Nazi officials using callipers to measure a man’s nose, ostensibly to determine racial descent. Subverting childhood playthings, the artist hides unsettling histories in plain sight.

b.1978, Taipei, Taiwan

Manor, 2019
steel, plywood, cotton, ceramic, plastic, leather
Manor, 2019
oil on canvas

As a child, Shih Yung-Chun lived in a Taiwanese army “military dependents’ village”—communities established as provisional housing for Kuomintang soldiers after their retreat to Taiwan in 1949. He describes the village as making him feel “secure and warm,” much like the bed he slept on for eight years featured in both artworks. Upon it he constructs a small community of houses, barns, trees, and creatures crafted from unfired clay. This fairytale whimsy is undercut by a pair of unsettling legs emerging from beneath the bed, hinting at the inner world of the dreamer.

b.1978, Taipei, Taiwan

Wait Up, Tiny Peeps!, 2021
oil on canvas

Shih Yung-Chun’s surreal painting was inspired by a magazine article about a couple from Libya, detailing how they furnished their home with items salvaged from landfill. A photograph captured the couple joyfully sitting on the stone steps of their home, surrounded by their four dogs. Shih, however, felt a wave of sadness, recalling his own experience scavenging for abandoned furniture in a military dependents’ village slated for demolition. “I wanted to hide among those discarded pieces of furniture,” he reflects, “and linger with these outdated relics of the time.”

b.1966, Xi’an, Shaanxi

Half-Hundred Mirrors, 2018-19
acrylic on canvas, 32 pieces
virtual reality component, 8 minutes

“Time is the direct evidence, and changes everything.” At the age of 50, Yu Hong began reflecting on her life over the past half-century. Culminating in 32 autobiographical paintings, these works chronicle her personal journey from childhood to adulthood. Accompanied by an experimental VR component, we are invited to step into her memories— from the turbulence of the Cultural Revolution to her development as an artist during the transformative 1980s. Interweaving private moments with sweeping socio-historical change, her art becomes both a mirror of her own evolution and of a society in flux.

b.1970, Juancheng, Shandong

Fat Lady, 2013
oil on canvas

Sun Hongbin’s self-possessed fat lady, wearing only lilac sunglasses, gazes out from her tiny canvas with a look that is both unimpressed and unashamed. Rejecting the demure, she embodies Sun’s exploration of playfulness and fun that aims to provoke reactions from viewers. Drawing on the incongruities of ‘mo lei tau’—a Cantonese term for slapstick humour rooted in nonsensical juxtapositions—Sun embraces surprise and mystery. Painting directly from life, he says, “I try to capture the inner person, the personality I imagine within.”

2F

b.1957, Hangzhou, Zhejiang

EXPAND CONSTANTLY, 2000
6 channel video on 12 monitors, (colour, sound)
27 minutes 4 seconds

One day in Hangzhou, Zhang Peili observed his students’ delight in the discovery of American-style bubble gum. Impressed by their bubble blowing prowess, he began to record it in close-up. Zhang is fascinated by everyday gestures, repetition, and a sense of rhythm. These elements are made manifest through twelve screens playing a continuous field of chewing mouths and expanding bubbles that pop at different times. Perhaps a nod to globalisation and China’s entry into the international marketplace, or a reflection on childhood nostalgia. Ultimately, Zhang invites the audience to explore their own interpretations and meanings.

b.2003, Beijing

I Kissed a Sea Snail via an LCD, 2020
inkjet print, acrylic on canvas

“The internet changed me.” Skirua is part of a new generation that grew up alongside the rise of the internet and social media. She was just 17 when she held her first solo exhibition, teaching herself to paint through online video tutorials on her iPad. But the internet was more than just an educational tool—it revealed a new world of fantasy, where her various avatars could create intimate connections with others. Her multi- faceted self-portrait is an ode to these myriad identities that exist both online and offline.

b.1972, Taipei, Taiwan

GOD DAMN LIFE, 2008–09
steel, aluminium, chrome, plastic, paint, video
1 minute 41 seconds

Like most boys, Liao Chien-Chung always dreamed of owning a Harley-Davidson. The iconic motorcycle brand is the supreme fetish object, a symbol of freedom and rebellion. Its deep, rumbling engine commands attention, yet Liao’s version is strangely silent. Taking a closer look, we realise that the artist has replaced horsepower with manpower. Liao’s tongue-in-cheek video captures him struggling to pedal his homemade Harley through the streets of Taiwan. Commenting on wealth disparity and delusions of grandeur, the work offers a satirical critique of the unachievable dreams sold through advertisements.

b.1982, Shenyang, Liaoning

Virtual Power, 2020
oil on canvas

The manifold surfaces of Geng Yini’s painting testify to the virtual lives we live, dancing between multiple windows and times. Created during the global COVID-19 pandemic, her painting explores the conundrum of virtual power when the world turned to online communities for solace. Within it, she repeatedly references the bat, an animal in which COVID-19 purportedly originated. At the centre is a herculean man symbolising human power, contrasted with ancient ferns that have existed for 350 million years. This backdrop serves as a humbling reminder that human history is merely a fleeting moment in the planet’s timeline.

b.1988, Guangzhou, Guangdong

Fairy Tale—Riverside, 2018
Fairy Tale—Off Work, 2018
Fairy Tale—The Tiger, 2018
Fairy Tale—A Well-being Journey, 2018
oil on canvas

“Fairy tales are not just for children,” says Zhang Zhaoying. “In fact, when adults revisit fairy tales, they often discover deeper meanings.” The artist’s modern take on fairy tales draws upon characters from popular culture. He features Homer Simpson to comment on Western patriarchy, while the alienated expressions of SpongeBob and Patrick mirror the complexities of the adult world. Zhang critiques power in a scene with a weakened tiger, symbolising lost rights, and uses Barbie and Ken to illustrate the endless pursuit of perfection in relationships. By placing these well-known characters in unusual scenarios, he generates new dialogue.

b.1985, Beijing

PARADI$E BITCH, 2014
two-channel video
4 minutes 49 seconds

Often labelled the “Bad Boy” of contemporary art, Tianzhuo Chen revels in pushing boundaries. “I like my work to be absurd and aggressive,” he declares. His transgressive video piece embodies his anti-elitist values through a hybrid fusion of ‘high’ and ‘low’ cultures. It stars the drooling “Alien Twins,” decked in gold chains and tattoos, pulsing to Cantonese rap, while a central female character blends voguing with Japanese Butoh. Set against fluorescent ‘pinwheel’ graphics, the work induces a trance-like experience. A follower of Tibetan Buddhism, Chen critiques the ‘false gods’ of celebrity, consumer desire, and pop culture.

b.1969, Kaohsiung, Taiwan

Happy Valentine’s Day!!, 2011
plastic, glass, timber, paint, metal, screen printed walls, adhesive vinyl

The rich scent of chocolate wafts out of what appears to be an old-fashioned confectionary shop, complete with heart-shaped boxes and pink satin. Upon closer inspection, these ‘chocolates’ are in fact plastic weapons—hand grenades and tanks. Tu Wei-Cheng delves into the underlying menace that lurks beneath love and romance in a veiled message about Taiwan’s complex political situation. He prompts the question: Who is Taiwan’s lover on the international stage—China, the United States, or France? His artwork reminds us that even the sweetest relationships possess destructive power.

b.1984, Taipei, Taiwan

Indoor Practice 1, 2012
Indoor Practice 2, 2012
Indoor Practice 3, 2012
oil on canvas

At first glance, colourful scenes of ‘happy families at play’ seem innocuous, but a deeper look reveals something more sinister. Huang Hai-Hsin’s paintings depict the ‘duck and cover’ drills that are part of the Taiwanese government’s civil defence strategy. The artist recalls hiding under school desks with her classmates, excitedly covering their eyes. But after years of false alarms, many now respond with indifference. Her work critiques this pervasive sense of helplessness, and the hidden dangers behind cheerful façades.

b.1962, Duyun, Guizhou

Untitled, 2015
Untitled, 2015
pigment inkjet print

By chance, Guo Jian stumbled upon a group of rural children from the ethnic minority Miao people, posing for a local photographer. They were decorated in richly embroidered, beaded clothing, and adorned with silver jewellery for the ‘Tiaohua’ festival. Alongside fake blossoms and plastic masks, the artist noticed young boys posing with guns. Striking a chord with Guo, he recalled his own troubled memories as a teenage recruit, training at a military base. It prompted him to photograph the scene, highlighting the stark juxtaposition of childhood innocence and military violence.

b.1988, Huizhou, Guangdong

Knife in Hand, 2021
oil on canvas

Liang Hao’s interest in knives was sparked by a conversation with a friend about the strict knife regulations in his hometown. It prompted him to reflect on what knives represent—ranging from humble kitchen tools to weapons used in crimes. Curious, Liang began asking others in his circle about their impressions of knives. One friend recalled a small knife her mother kept hidden in a wardrobe, which she would secretly admire as a child. For Liang, a knife in hand holds many meanings, but above all, it symbolises power and resistance.

b.1984, Ulanqab, Inner Mongolia

A View Beyond Space No. 5, 2015
stainless steel, paint

A View Beyond Space No. 7-12, 2015
stainless steel, paint

Pet (Blue), 2021
bronze, paint

Bonsai, 2021
resin, sand, water, electric pump

Peeper No.1, 2021
stainless steel, printed fabric, paint, electric light

2014.05.11, 2021
2017.04.03, 2021
2018.02.05, 2021
2019.08.26, 2021
2020.02.10, 2021
2020.02.11, 2021
2020.04.23, 2021
acrylic paint, silk-screen print on paper

“Here is a realm between the foreign and the familiar.” Nabuqi explores the relationship between humans and objects through various forms: a large green staircase ascending into the heavens, evoking a psychological longing for something higher, and yellow pillars supporting miniature landscapes—imagined spaces we see but cannot physically enter. She blurs the line between public and private spaces with objects like a water fountain typically found in parks, and benches that draw the body closer but remain unreachable. Her objects are not just physical entities; they are alive. One work is described as a ‘pet,’ suggesting that objects in domestic spaces can act as our companions. In another series, she uses the word ‘peeper,’ raising a more sinister question: “What if they’ve been tuning in to your every move, as entities with souls?” Nabuqi invites us to consider that objects may not only exist in relation to us but could also possess agency of their own.

3F

b.1966, Taipei, Taiwan

Between I, 2012-23
metal, plastic, sound, electrical and audio components

You control the rhythm in Shyu Ruey-Shiann’s surprising installation which combines two vastly contrasting elements: classical music and the everyday trashcan. Shyu transforms the simplest objects into mechanical marvels. By stepping on the trashcan pedals, the audience activates the music recorded by more than a dozen musicians from the Taipei Symphony Orchestra. The artwork was inspired by Shyu’s mother, who spent her days collecting recycling to sell. Through her example, she taught him—and perhaps all of us—to see discarded objects in a new light.