Chieh-Jen Chen. Realm of Reverberations
Ars Electronica 2014

The elderly, the sick, the disabled, the poor and the unemployed are the first victims of urban development devised by experts, politicians and financiers. But dignity and lucidity remain intact on the victims’ side.

Chieh-Jen Chen’s (*1960 in Taoyuan, Taiwan) video installation comprises four sections, each presenting the perspective of individuals whose lives have been touched by the Losheng Sanatorium for Lepers. The exhibition is part of Buddha on the Beach. Varoius artists from Taiwan and their installations, live performances, and works of visual and video art invite the viewers to reflect on our current crises and the need to invent new paths for humanity.
As Buddha sought the Pure Land in the chaotic human world, inhabitants of the urban jungle crave escape to a beach paradise. If, one day, Buddha appeared on the beach, could he provide an answer to the chaos of the world? Or would he need a beach holiday, a moment to breath?

A Cooperation of Lentos Kunstmuseum Linz, Ars Electronica & Ministry of Culture, Republic of China (Taiwan)

Curators: I‑Wei Li, Pierre Bongiovanni