Curatorial Expression of My "Respect" for Chen Chia-Jen

Year-end is particularly busy. From attending the Unity Blessing Gala in Taipei on December 17, I stayed in Taipei. Starting on the 18th, I entered the curatorial work for Chen Chia-Jen’s metamorphosis-themed life exhibition, "The Golden Cicada Sheds Its Shell." Simultaneously, on the 20th, my daughter arrived from London to visit her father’s hometown, Taiwan. With both events happening at once, I was so busy that I have no impression of Christmas 2012. Although several major department store plazas in bustling Taipei featured glittering, grand Christmas tree installations, and outdoor neon and light displays created a festive atmosphere for Christmas and the New Year, being busy made me forget my surroundings; time simply passed. The same applied to the New Year's Eve countdown. Did I become aware of how days were passing?

Curating is not new to me, but this time it was exceptionally complex and worrying, requiring more patience and tolerance. Chen Chia-Jen, both mentor and friend, after battling stomach cancer and facing death, intended to channel his existential energy and challenge life through creation, encouraged by us, to return to his greatest love, "painting." Whether he reaches a new peak or creates a miracle of life, finding an exit for life is inevitable, allowing him to soothe his existential consciousness, embrace creation, and realize the possibilities of life. As Professor Wu Lixing of the Art and Design Department at Nankai University in Tianjin, China, said, "Teacher Chen lights up every day of life with art." I expressed my respect for Teacher Chen through curatorial action.

Chen Chia-Jen’s Taipei solo exhibition, "The Golden Cicada Sheds Its Shell," ran simultaneously with his solo exhibition "Heavenly Pillar" at the Contemporary Art Museum of the Chinese Century Stage in Beijing, China. These two simultaneous exhibitions kept this iron man who has fought two cancers extremely busy, revealing the artist's strong willpower and artistic talent. Naturally, artistic creation cannot be replaced nor can it replace anything else. Exhibitions require division of labor and cooperation, proposing clear plans and concepts, and finding suitable people for appropriate tasks. Of course, the number of works, plans, and installation schemes took careful discussion to form. However, communication errors are understandable, especially regarding this "The Golden Cicada Sheds Its Shell" catalog. Until the 18th, the works scheduled for exhibition had not fully materialized, and completed paintings had not even been photographed. Everyone still demonstrated their ability to handle multiple tasks under pressure. Tense and forced by circumstances, we successfully completed everything within just four days.

Installation work was originally planned to be ready by the 20th. Due to works not yet arriving and the catalog and photography proceeding simultaneously, delays occurred repeatedly. We could only wait with tolerance and patience. This exhibition presented works using a method of large-scale arrangement in a small space. Before the paintings arrived, Ah Chao and I had already planned the hanging space in the gallery's front hall lobby, waiting for subsequent installation progress. On the 20th, my daughter arrived in Taiwan from afar. Putting down installation work, Cuiyun drove me to the airport to pick up Emilie. Unable to balance both scenarios, on the 21st, my daughter and I first went to Jia Ren's studio, and then I went to the gallery for installation. Fortunately, Cuiyun and Wei Lun accompanied my daughter to stroll and shop in the commercial area near 101. Specializing in commercial advertising and window design, she experienced Taiwanese boutique stores and department store advertisements and windows, providing another perspective and viewpoint. With my daughter accompanied, I could focus more on work.

Preparation for installation began on the 18th. Paintings arrived at the site on the 21st, and I asked Jia Ren to guide the process on-site before entering the installation phase. Under Ah Chao’s careful professional planning and the gallery Yue Xin’s division of labor and cooperation, it proceeded smoothly. Because this exhibition involved high-difficulty suspended installations, the precision required for artwork placement was very high, making progress very slow. Intuitively and rationally, after the first group of suspended semi-circles was hung, they delineated the spiritual context of the spatial field. Group after group was hung, manifesting the spiritual field space, offering an unprecedented thrill in installation, experiencing the spatial and artistic demeanor.

Installation proceeded slowly until almost all arrangements were complete by the 23rd. Some participating paintings had not yet arrived because Jia Ren and his team had to go to Beijing for another large-scale installation, the opening of the "Heavenly Pillar" exhibition at the Contemporary Art Museum of the Chinese Century Stage in Beijing. Taipei work was delayed due to insufficient suspended semi-circular works and missing paintings on the walls; the gallery facade was still being planned, so installation paused temporarily. The "Golden Cicada Sheds Its Shell" catalog went to printing. At noon on the 23rd, I took my daughter south to Kaohsiung, starting another leg of Emilie’s Taiwan itinerary. I returned to Taipei at noon on the 31st. Installation was nearing its end (during my few days away from Taipei, the installation team continued working, and after Jia Ren returned from Beijing, he came again to guide; the semi-circular facade suspended installation was completed accurately and beautifully). I returned to the gallery to continue unfinished installation work, pressing on, and finally completed everything on New Year's Eve night, feeling greatly comforted. This completed a curatorial and installation experience I had never had before, expressing my respect for Jia Ren, my mentor and friend, through this curation and installation. Witnessing the miracle of life firsthand, his energy and will to recreate the pinnacle of artistic achievement, he not only embraces art but also lights up every day of life with it. What I admire is not just his artistic achievements, but also his courage as a warrior and iron man, sincerely blessing my friend.