Selected by the Ministry of Culture for the Künstlerhaus Bethanian in Berlin, Germany, Taiwanese artists artists Ting Chaong-wen (丁昶文) and Chen Yi (陳乂) presented their works at the art village's exhibition space from Nov. 18 until Dec. 5.
Ting's large-scale video works are based on the Holzdorf Estate in the Weimar region of Germany, while Chen used 3D digital scanning to record Berlin street scenes, transforming space and images into digital information and presenting the "Gaia Hypothesis" as a way of thinking about the human condition.
The MOC sends Taiwanese artists to the Künstlerhaus Bethanian every year, with more than ten having passed through this important art and cultural node to interact with artists from different countries. On the opening day of the exhibition on Nov. 12, many people came to see the exhibition, with Taiwanese representative to Germany Shieh Jhy-wey coming to pay his respects accompanied by Christoph Tannert, the director of the Künstlerhaus Bethanian, for a guided tour by the two artists.
Tannert remarked that the artists selected from Taiwan in previous years have been fantastic and their works have always outstanding. For example, Ting Chaong-wen's work is a thought-provoking blend of World War II history and artistic beauty, while Chen Yi uses the idea of "lichen" to not only present the living space of the unhoused, but also highlight the contradictory landscape created by human beings in their pursuit of living comfort and evolutionary development.
Künstlerhaus Bethanian is dedicated to serving and promoting contemporary art and contemporary artists. The assistance provided includes international artist residencies, artist programs, art-related consulting, studio assistance, and the development of art and cultural events in and outside the Berlin region. Their exhibitions often attract important guests, art professionals, and curators from all over the world, providing opportunities for artists-in-residence to reach out and serving as an excellent platform to promote Taiwanese-German art exchange and cooperation.