Run! Be Happy-Solo Exhibition of CHUANG Ming-Chi

2024.05.18 - 2024.08.11 KMFA Gallery 401-405



About the Exhibition
Running offers a profound experience of the body's connection to and independence from the consciousness. The curatorial theme Run! Be Happy positions Chuang Ming-chi's work within the ambit of a "Comprehensive Discourse on the Body." The exhibition is divided into four sections: Run! Be Happy, Window to the Soul, Marathon, and Bodyscape: Extraordinary NBA, with an additional, specially curated section, Childhood Memories, that delves into Chuang's formative memories. Through these sections, Chuang's exploration of running serves as a metaphor for his social observations and a narrative of personal growth, facilitating the observation and contemplation of his conscious and unconscious creative engagement with the self and society.

Run! Be Happy  explores the continuum of the body, Window to the Soul focuses on the observation of the body, Marathon zooms in on its social inspection, and Bodyscape: Extraordinary NBA features its unconscious expressions. In Run! Be Happy, one can feel the continuity of running as if through maximizing the act of running, one can animate the entire body and thereby shape consciousness. Window to the Soul reflects on the relationship between the eyes and the body in Chuang's works, while Marathon showcases the long-term commitment of the body to societal observation, thereby sparking more imagination towards society and the individual. Bodyscape: Extraordinary NBA explores the unconscious unity between mind and body.

Text/ LU Ming-Ze (Curator)
 








Section 1: Run! Be Happy
CHUANGpresents a giant figure of a runner bursting through the wall, an artistic endeavor to manifest the body’s maximal extension in motion, embodying the pinnacle of vitality and the profound interconnectedness of our physical being. This creation encapsulates CHUANG’s unrestrained, spirited artistic ethos and his exemplary interpretation of the body as a foundational element of artistic expression. This section also presents CHUANG’s latest piece Run! Be Happy, which displays the scene of running people through large paintings, reminiscent of an exhilarating Olympic competition where the viewers watch the runners, and the runners perform for the audience.




Section 2: Window to the Soul
This section centers on the theme of eyes, positioning them as a bridge between the physical and psychological body, thereby presenting the visible body and the invisible spirit. The body’s relationship to the eyes is subtle; while we can observe external objects, we cannot observe our own selves, as our vision does not encompass our entire body—we can only look down at our lower half. Maurice Merleau-Ponty observed that “the body can gaze upon everything, including itself; it is visible and perceptible to itself, embodying a form of self-perception.” Through the “Large Pupils Series” created around the culture of Taiwanese banquets, this section presents CHUANG’s perspective and his observations of society and self. The over thirty suspended pieces from CHUANG’s “Big Eyes” series are rich with the ambiance of “others watching me, and I watch others,” articulating the visible body and the invisible spirit.





Section 3: Childhood Memories
CHUANG revisits memories of growing up through the imagery of running, which is both humorous and thought-provoking. It unveils the upbringing of an artist in the countryside, marked by a natural and unbridled connection to the land and a thoughtful consideration of human connections.





Section 4: Marathon
This section showcases CHUANG Ming-chi’s exploration of personal and societal observations and satires through the lens of physicality and running, including large acrylic paintings of running sequences and various small wooden sculptures of running poses.




Section 5: Bodyscape: Extraordinary NBA
This section elucidates the notion of the bodily schema, as in the presentation of the body’s unconscious natural reflexes. Athletes, through years of training, develop the ability to respond swiftly and subconsciously during physical activity. The section creates a basketball court scenario, interspersed with dozens of CHUANG’s semi-transparent fabric works made from national flags, allowing visitors to walk into the exhibit as if entering a field of dodging and feeling the tension of movement.


 




About the Artist  CHUANG Ming-chi
CHUANG Ming-chi’s works begin with the concept of “joyful running,” where the act of running connects different parts of the body—head, torso, hands, feet—animated by his observations of society and insights into the truths of life. Each piece is interconnected, influencing each other and pulsating together, with the body parts moving as a reflection of society. 
The core of these bodily series is his concern for the land of his birth, always conveying the essence of the land in his works. Employing techniques like racial metamorphosis, cellular proliferation, exaggerated structures, and collage reassembly, his art communicates in a style that hints at Cubism without fully embracing it, allowing viewers to have various thoughts remaining tethered to the profound essence of the land. Although distinctly Taiwanese, this essence of the land emanates from the depth of its cultivation, showcasing his identifiable creative style. 
Apart from paintings, CHUANG’s sculptures reveal his boundless creative energy. By age 15, he was already crafting cement statues, and by 18, he had produced wood carvings that demonstrated precise proportions and craftsmanship. The most famous of CHUANG’s three-dimensional works is the “Joyful Running” series. Whether in paintings or sculptures, for Chuang, running is not merely an action but “running for a purpose,” with his latest series of paintings resembling the afterimages or alter egos of a relay runner or talking about our self-adaptation to the environment. The collages, incorporating various print materials, articulate running as an act imbued with significance to both land and society—not a casual, unconscious activity. They convey his desire to use the action of running as an embodiment of dialogue with and commentary on societal interactions and expressions.
CHUANG’s artistry, mirroring the world through the lens of the body, shines a light on the allure of apparent truths, unveiling hidden malaises and seeking transformative opportunities for genuine existence. As Nietzsche said, “The only way to see the truth is by breaking established beliefs.” This also displays CHUANG’s responsibility as an artist to be society’s cleaner.
 
About the Curator  LU Ming-che
LU Ming-che graduated from the Tainan National University of the Arts Graduate Institute of Museology. He is currently the Artistic Director at the company Discover Art and serves as a faculty member in the Department of Fine Arts at Tainan University of Applied Sciences. LU’s main areas of expertise include Museum Management and the Visual Arts Industry.