Chen Wei-chen [陳為榛]

Wei-chen showed her photos taken on the streets of Fukuoka in a slideshow sorted by themes. She also mentioned her photo booklet made as part of her art documentation, which was available to look at the venue.

Wei-chen shared her travel experience in the city of Fukuoka by bike and her art-making in which she put her inspirations from the local old houses, tiles, or signs that look familiar at first but are different from those in Taiwan. She also had a conversation with another invited artist Koga Yoshihiro and asked questions about his artworks.

Another three works, Braille Block Bench, Braille Block in Fukuoka, and Ashtray in Fukuoka were exhibited in the museum.
Photo credit: Kawasaki Ittoku

Wei-chen exhibited her five works made during the residency inside the gallery space; Crevices and Wall, Tomare, Bricks and Crow, and Drainage Cover and Cigarette Butt. Another work, Tiles and Plant was shown in front of the stairs outside the gallery.
Photo credit: Kawasaki Ittoku

Wei-chen and Koga Yoshihiro, another invited artist, shared the same studio. Both worked hard and independently. Using a pincette, Wei-Chen concentrated on putting the cigarette butts into the gaps of the drainage cover, which is part of her new installation work.

On this day, Wei-chen shifted her workplace from the studio to the gallery space, where the exhibition takes place. She then started preparing for the show by carefully arranging her works and materials she collected, one by one, often looking at them thoughtfully from a distance.

Wei-chen and Koga explained their ongoing works in the studio to FAAM volunteers. The two artists answered some questions, such as their impressions of Fukuoka city.

Guided by the curator Anderson Eri at the cultural research center of the Dazaifu Tenmangu, Wei-chen had a look inside the shrine to see its architecture and some contemporary artworks.

Wei-chen started working in studio after doing research around the city.

Wei-chen went to buy some art materials with Koga Yoshihiro, another artist invited for the second term of FAAM AIR Program 2023.

Lantern arts (toumyou) designed by the artist were arranged on the ground at the Festa Square (an alley between Hotel Okura and Hakata Riverain Center Bldg.) at night.

Wei-chen talked about her previous artwork using keywords such as “comprehension of the three-dimensional space through the two-dimension,” “point of view in material culture,” “digital tools,” and “mystery in daily life.” The artist also told plans during the residency, which is to document interesting things she found on the streets in Fukuoka to make an installation piece.

With guidance from Prof. Robert Platt, Wei-chen visited Faculty of Art and Design of Kyushu Sangyo University and Zokei Junior College of Art and Design located in the same university. In the afternoon, the artist also went to contemporary art places such as OVERGROUND, office sponge, lolo space, art space baku, and art space tetra.

After receiving a guidance from FAAM curators and coordinators, Wei-chen had a look around other spaces and facilities at Artist Cafe Fukuoka.