text by Amy Huei-hwa Cheng
“Those photos, which are selected from several hundred rolls of films, have been constantly reviewed and again I think the relation between me and “it” (those photos). The way that those photos are neatly presented for seeing, is seemingly like a well-planned photography project. As a matter of fact, they are casually-done diary profiles that are stored based on subjective feeling and very adoptable in a way. In the entities of memories, you could call it a “new vintage photos” or “vintage new photos” .- Chen Shun-Chu [1]
I
Chen Shun-Chu presents a photography series: On the Road. This “new” series consisting of 57 black and white photos is selected from the snapshots from traveling and daily life from the past two decades since 1990. The 57 photos are named only with year, locations and numbers. All very minor and non-successive fragments of images are thus annotated as like files and presented in orders.
In the world of images, we are guided by an invisible axis of time to recognize possible landscape and coordinates of time and space. In the meanwhile, we also feel like being on a bizarre journey and enjoying the imaginary enjoyment as like following with Chen when he stood by for shooting. While we read and react to labels such as 1990, Paris, France, 1991-2, Penghu, 1996-1, Tucheng, Taipei, 1997-3, Shihli, Penghu, and 2000-3, Vancouver, Canada…, our consciousness follows along with that invisible axis of time orderly. We constantly move forward in accordance with the widely different and leaping tempo of time and space as our sight stays at labels like 2002, Sindian, Taipei, 2005, Taipei, 2007, Penghu…or even 2010, Myanmar…. Although those are merely motionless images, in our perception we still could make up the huge vacuum among those non-successive fragments of time and space and feel the smooth time sequence and a constantly-changing world that is seemingly so close and yet sometimes very remote, on our imaginary journey.
With only year and location, we rather regard those photos as simple annotations of Chen’s image diary for years than viewing them being named this way. They suggestively provide very limited clues as like each image is merely like a stop on the road or unexpected turn and more happenings and stories are yet to tell beyond words and visual images.
While watching those images, we learn that those photos were not taken intentionally and they were put away with other several hundred rolls of films after shooting since there was no particular reason to select or use them. As time goes by, day after day, those images also imply that each ending of a short trip is another new beginning. It is also in the fragmental and yet cycling process, that a two-decade life spectrum is indirectly shaped.
Now, Chen lets the “records” of such experiences revived and compiles files and coding them in a rational way. He expects to build up the foundation of reading and recognition in addition to ambiguous memories. Also as he said, that “selecting” is like a ritual to deepen certain “given meaning or metaphor”. This gesture is quite interesting – How could those huge moments be reviewed and interpreted? How could those displayed images describe more contexts and the whole story with its very limited (partial) nature? We seemingly could trace with those partial parts and traces on the way - could be puddles on road after rain （2001-5）, could be a unrecognizable reflection somewhere else （1994-3）, could be an out-of-focus building faraway （1993-4）, or the timeless sky, linearity and light and shadow…, and thus enter the many indescribable “in situ” from those unknown details.
In Chen’s description, those images/past that he collectively called as “it” in the introduction, are seemingly regarded as “object” faraway; however, it is very interesting that in fact those seemingly very objective objects overlap with the life experiences of the subject on its own. Perhaps we could further interpret the saying that “Those photos which are selected from several hundred rolls of films have been constantly reviewed and again I think the relation between me and it.” [2] By saying so, he rebuilds up a new relationship with self through an intentionally-detaching and rational observation. Therefore, for a viewer, a more board and open philosophical topic as well as the thinking space regarding “life experience” is to open up. The redefinition of relation between “self and “it”” as Chen said further refers to the two-folded exploration toward “life” and “photography”.
We could put it this way: “photography” as a carrier of content and time gives Chen both seduction and motivation to dig out the internal side of life. He guides viewers to enter for viewing based on this carrier. While our sights follow the changing of time and space as well as the collage of time order over and over, we see Montage in different places and at different time, in which the distance of time has been broadened and thus generates a seemingly knowing sense of estrangement. It is such knowing sense of estrangement makes the ordinary routine strange and once again intrigues our increasing curiosity and yearning of exploration toward life and the process of time.
II
Beginning with photography installation in 1990s and developing into motional images, this time Chen chooses to return to photography. “Return” may not be the most precise term. In fact, Chen never leaves his original creation and nor does he ever lessen his passion to photography. Perhaps we could trace back to his high school and college years when he was purely engaged in photography and totally enjoyed with the composition of light and shadow. In 1990, when he had the photography exhibition Image and Imagery, it seemed to announce the sprout and beginning of the image collection in the next 20 years.
On the other hand, one of the most praised part of Chen’s creation, is that he specializes on adopting image as tools and measurements for subjectively interfering with time. He always has his own unique way to interpret the concept of time – it reflects onto the persistent searching of memories and the mental yearning to eternity. This has been repeatedly proved in his several well-renowned series from Family Black Boxes at early period, Flower Ritual and Journeys in Time…etc; however, while we recall those series we also find out: with a negation-hidden gesture, Chen always re-describes “memories” and “time” and confronts as well as understands the huge influence from “father/family” and the implication of “root-seeking”.
His artistic language is always in a dialectical process in between figurative and restrained materials, and abstractive and unlimited non-materials. He boldly uses crossed frames, aluminum board, ceramic tiles and plastic flowers…. Recently he even adopts the material nature of photography directly such as films and development chemicals to aggressively interfere into the content of time of images. Furthermore, he transforms this symbolic meaning into collage or a differentiated thinking metaphor that could re-write memory. Nevertheless, “time” as a topic shows more unchangeable side of it as Chen’s artworks in the past heavily focused on the topic of “pass away” – either the decease of human beings or the loss of objects, or the regrets toward the ultimate disappearance of subjects.
Along with Chen’s creation process and history, the series Family Dwelling – 4x5 3 Times is worthy to discuss for its meaning. It is when Chen announces a new start off from his new house and put the heavy mourning in the past behind. Those photos in this series containing images of debris in wheelbarrow waiting for carrying away, as well as the video filming the repeatedly estimated and measured new resident house all well explain that he looks forward very much to cleaning up the old past and intends to re-build a new life.
We could put it this way – Chen is a creator who collates his past and restart again all the time. Such message is also subtly delivered from the series On the Road. Therefore if we regard the selection and documentation of black and white photos in the two decade as another re-build and collation, it would follow the same intention, as like the Ulysses style of “start off and returning”; thus the journey in those images is no longer about Chen’s life experiences and traveling, it indicates a larger projection and implication of life on a boarder metaphor, too.
What makes it different is that On the Road adopts a very secretive, low-key and recessive approach of the process of “selecting”, “collating” and “annotating” to interfere the past, while one feels a mood of lightweight, improvising and frankness. Chen keeps an elegant recall from distance instead of the strong questioning or deconstruction from the photography installation at early years. Compared to his earlier series, this new series possesses a potential yearning toward a “recycling-like” reconstructing his own genealogy.
This time, Chen no longer needs to confirm or argue the position of memory in life over and over again like Sisyphus. With a much relaxed and routine attitude, he yields to the moment when images were cared (including the moment of shooting). He allows that the past again announces a self-contended existence after all the years and let these unnoticed or ignored tiny details generating meanings on the new settings. As for viewers, those images in fact could be a brand new thing without any restrains or burdens. The set coordinates of time and space on certain metaphors could be totally independent from “ça a été” of the photographer’s life experiences and becomes a solidly independent “being”. When carefully watching, those images indeed are like poetry under the individually-completed and yet earthy structure while they still maintain certain autonomy and integrity.
III
“Photography, I think…reality scenes evolve into images, in which all have their own hidden reasons.”- Chen Shun-Chu [3]
About images in this new series, Chen’s statement above is very intriguing. It seems to have different layers of references. Not merely recalling those “decisive moments”, it is also like an implication toward destiny; furthermore, a directly-perceived status containing subconscious is described.
We could realize those images like this: since those which were not planned to include and people are amazed at their silent existence when looking back suddenly, “photographing” or “appreciating” those photos thus generates a very contemplative meaning and more likely a “calling” about existence. In tableau, about the expression of “being”, perhaps we could call it “the decided accidentals” in a very ambiguous grammar – just like the composition of linearity, light and shadow, and atmosphere is a born-nature strength. Even though it is only a random coincidence, Chen always grasps it with intuition.
If we said that “historical statement” is a meta-cognitive chronology as like events, legends or epic poems, it often produces unusual spectacles about time and en masse, which are noisy and crowded. Chen’s new series could be regarded as totally on the opposite side against this. It enters the minor and humble “routine” in an extraordinarily quiet and secretive way – like corners, in shadows, loneliness and tranquility. As to “calling,” it refers to those routine moments which were not intentionally recorded for years and after two decade, they were reviewed repeatedly. What they reflect about “life”, the seeking of it as a age-old and magnificent topic becomes increasingly apparent.
Therefore, “routine” is merely a very general term. What exactly does “routine” refer to? How could those images transpire the “aura” from the minor details in daily routine? This journey seemingly with no start-off and no ending, takes us into the ambiguous puzzles of “routine” over and over again. When we see those “minority” and “fragments” of Chen’s life, we know that those did not separate from what he saw and heard, what he experienced and even what he lost; however, they were not simplified as some “special moments” or “historical moments”, either. Nevertheless, Chen’s statement seemingly implies such sense, which is that when himself or viewers both realize the moment a camera shutter is dialed, a unusual meaning is given to the ordinary. Such “ordinary” is the key to “allow the routine projecting itself” and further generate seductive light of inspiration.
French literature critics Maurice Blanchot (1907-2003) thinks that regardless the different faces of routine life, they all share one basic character – it is uncontrollable and transient. This viewpoint matches the other side that is indirectly described with Chen’s adopting “image as evidence” and “record is eternal” to act as an irony. The objects we are watching at: the horizon, pedestrian, sea level, highway disappearing at the border of lance frame, swaying leafs, human bodies that were accidentally took…, details such as mottle, fog, falling star-like rain…, and sky line, a city corner, plants and unknown buildings…, they are all hided between the recognizable and the unrecognizable, controllable and uncontrollable, limited and unlimited. They are formed as well as detached in the maze of grayscale particles.
Eventually, Chen still exposes a subconscious as a “photographer/controller” when dealing with such “ambiguity”: what a subjective photographer wishes to surpass is that he/she hopes to handle the experienced world with an omniscient angle. Again, Chen annotates and defines this through the frame of photography.
This is expressed in that he preserves the black frame of film, in which is like adding quotation marks onto the time and memories he underwent before. As usual, Chen often consciously preserves and highlights frames and makes them looks like ritual. For Chen, it expresses a type of “gaining” and “witness”; on the other hand, it is like what Blanchot said that such gaining and witness also emphasizes the “uncontrollable” and “transient” nature of it.
The relation between Chen and it and the hided metaphor of constantly “recalling”, perhaps are what we as viewers to be realized: on the dual-meanings of image and life, when light fades away, figures and shadows also disappear, and our vision will vanish accordingly. What is “routine” exactly? What is life exactly? What is that photographer controlling? The mystery in fact also comes from realizing or seeing such truth: what is indescribable about life is “life itself”. What Chen intends to “frame” and control over, is the “uncontrollable and transient” part of him. The more we approach to those landscapes and objects through black frames, the more we are amazed at the emptiness behind the time and objects. While we keep certain distance from them, they look so real and vivid to us.
The “ordinary and routine” and the “mystery and ambiguity” of the series On the Road, which are seemingly contradicting paradox, confront with us in a flash-back gesture and acts like twins.
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1 Extract from an interview with Chen Shun-Chu at his Sindian studio on 16 April, 2010
2 Extract from an interview with Chen Shun-Chu at his Sindian studio on 16 April, 2010
3 Extract from an interview with Chen Shun-Chu at his Sindian studio on 16 April, 2010 |
