CHEN Zhe

Chen Zhe’s work strives to represent, evoke and interconnect the universal experiences shared by individuals in life. Her subjects often linger between the opposites: the body of pain and of relief, the twilight where day transits into night, and fate that is finite yet towards the eternal. Central to her practice are two interrelated actions: the act of “naming” in pursuit of potential comprehension, and the process of “rewriting”, acknowledging that complete comprehension is impossible. Spanning diverse mediums such as photography, words, sculpture, and spatial installations, Chen Zhe’s practice often unfolds as long-term projects, with individual works annotating one another and collectively presenting an ongoing journey of discovery.

 

Chen Zhe (b.1989, Beijing) received her BFA in Photography and Imaging from Art Center College of Design in Los Angeles. Her works has been exhibited at Staatliche Kunsthalle Baden-Baden, Tokyo Photographic Art Museum, Yokohama Triennale, Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art, Shanghai Biennial, Guangzhou Photo Triennial, Ullens Center for Contemporary Art, Three Shadows Photography Art Centre and more. Chen Zhe is the recipient of the Inge Morath Award from the Magnum Foundation, Three Shadows Award, Lianzhou Festival Photographer of the Year Award, Xitek New Talent Award and the Foam Talent. Her publication Bees & The Bearable was awarded the Best Photobook of the Year by Kassel Fotobookfestival in 2016.

SELECTED WORKS

CHEN Zhe

Celestial-cranial Instrument: Nine-stringed Quadrant
2022-2023
brass, aluminum, stainless steel wires
Φ300×182(h) cm

CHEN Zhe

Celestial-cranial Instrument: Spherical Astrolabe
2022-2023
brass, aluminum, stainless steel wires
80×80×80(h) cm

CHEN Zhe

Celestial-cranial Instrument: Sutural Sundial
2022-2023
brass, glass lens
43×35×35(h) cm

Celestial-cranial Instrument: Sutural Moondial
2022-2023
brass, glass lens
46×30×35(h) cm

CHEN Zhe

Celestial-cranial Instrument: Scaphe of Light
2022-2023
brass, LED light
ring：Φ155×2(h) cm
scaphe：Φ98×49(h) cm

CHEN Zhe

Celestial-cranial Instrument: Sutural Zodiac
2022-2023
brass
12件 pieces，22.5×26.5×13(h) cm，24×29.5×13.5(h) cm，25×30×14(h) cm，27×31.5×15.5(h) cm，26.5×34.5×16(h) cm，29.5×38×17.5(h) cm，28.5×36.5×17.5(h) cm，30×38.5×18(h) cm，32×38×19.5(h) cm，32×37.5×19.5(h) cm，31.5×39.5×20.5(h) cm，34.5×39×22.5(h) cm
overall dimensions variable

CHEN Zhe

Eternal Ephemera: Starlit Giant
2023
UV inkjet printed acrylic sheet in lightbox with wooden frame
image：126×180 cm，framed：128×182 cm

CHEN Zhe

Eternal Ephemera: Portal
2023
UV inkjet printed acrylic sheet in lightbox with wooden frame
image：84×120 cm，framed：86×122 cm

CHEN Zhe

Eternal Ephemera: Cavity
2023
UV inkjet printed acrylic sheet in lightbox with wooden frame
image：84×120 cm，framed：86×122 cm

CHEN Zhe

Eternal Ephemera: Burning Heart
2023
inkjet printed acrylic sheet in lightbox with wooden frame
image：120×84 cm，framed：122×86 cm

CHEN Zhe

Eternal Ephemera: Descending
2023
UV inkjet printed acrylic sheet in lightbox with wooden frame
image：84×120 cm，framed：86×122 cm

CHEN Zhe

Eternal Ephemera: Under the Moon
2023
UV inkjet printed acrylic sheet in lightbox with wooden frame
image：84×120 cm，framed：86×122 cm

CHEN Zhe

Eternal Ephemera: Secret Passage
2023
UV inkjet printed acrylic sheet in lightbox with wooden frame
image：84×120 cm，framed：86×122 cm

CHEN Zhe

You Are a Circle, Expanding
2022-2023
single channel 4K color video, four-channel sound
sound composer: Anita Pan
7’40”

CHEN Zhe

Eternal Ephemera: Sky
2020
archival inkjet print face-mounted to diasec acrylic, in artist’s frame
image: 56×42 cm
frame: 118×78 cm

CHEN Zhe

Eternal Ephemera: Body Mind I
2020
archival inkjet print face-mounted to diasec acrylic, in artist’s frame
image: 56×42 cm
frame: 118×78 cm

CHEN Zhe

Eternal Ephemera: Body Mind II
2020
archival inkjet print face-mounted to diasec acrylic, in artist’s frame
image: 56×42 cm
frame: 118×78 cm

CHEN Zhe

Eternal Ephemera: Ancestor
2020
archival inkjet print face-mounted to diasec acrylic, in artist’s frame
image: 56×42 cm
frame: 118×78 cm

CHEN Zhe

Eternal Ephemera: Sea Girl
2020
archival inkjet print face-mounted to diasec acrylic, in artist’s frame
image: 56×42 cm
frame: 118×78 cm

CHEN Zhe

Eternal Ephemera: Divination I-III
2020
archival inkjet print face-mounted to diasec acrylic, in artist’s frame
image: 56×42 cm
frame: 118×78 cm

CHEN Zhe

Gift: A Complex Moment of Honesty
2020
painted silicone, antique singing bowl, mallet, wine, pedestal
main: 32×20×34(h) cm

CHEN Zhe

Gift: A Beauty Forsaken
2020
painted silicone, antique singing bowl, mallet, wine, pedestal main: 58×20×32(h) cm

CHEN Zhe

Gift: A Life Lived Fiercely Together
2020
painted silicone, antique singing bowl, mallet, wine, pedestal
main: 60×23×32(h) cm

CHEN Zhe

The Nearest Labyrinth to the Sky I
2020
wool, mixed silk
280×210×2(h) cm

CHEN Zhe

The Nearest Labyrinth to the Sky II
2020
wool, mixed silk
280×210×2(h) cm

CHEN Zhe

Reading Old Dreams: Next to You
2020
hand-carved marble bench, resin skull with embedded LED light, ambers, wood
160×51×47(h) cm

CHEN Zhe

Reading Old Dreams: Next to You (detail)
2020
hand-carved marble bench, resin skull with embedded LED light, ambers, wood
160×51×47(h) cm

CHEN Zhe

Star of Seeing
2020
color tempered glass
site-specific installation
180×180×0.6(h) cm

CHEN Zhe

Star of Seeing
2020
color tempered glass
site-specific installation
180×180×0.6(h) cm

CHEN Zhe

Reading Old Dreams: Facing You (detail)
2020
hand-carved marble chairs, resin skull with embedded LED lights
63×58×139(h) cm, 58×58×142(h) cm

CHEN Zhe

Reading Old Dreams: Facing You
2020
hand-carved marble chairs, resin skull with embedded LED lights
63×58×139(h) cm, 58×58×142(h) cm

CHEN Zhe

The Only Question is How to Endure
2017
metal shelves, archival inkjet prints mounted on aluminum sheets and glass, text
180×180×10(h) cm each, set of 4

CHEN Zhe

The Only Question is How to Endure: Immersing
2017
metal shelves, archival inkjet prints
mounted on aluminum sheets and glass, text
180×180×10(h) cm

CHEN Zhe

The Only Question is How to Endure: Resisting
2017
metal shelves, archival inkjet prints mounted on aluminum sheets and glass, text
180×180×10(h) cm

CHEN Zhe

The Only Question is How to Endure: Understanding Eternity
2017
metal shelves, archival inkjet prints mounted on aluminum sheets and glass, text
180×180×10(h) cm

CHEN Zhe

The Only Question is How to Endure: Seizing the Moment
2017
metal shelves, archival inkjet prints mounted on
aluminum sheets and glass, text
180×180×10(h) cm

CHEN Zhe

891 Dusks: An Encyclopedia of Psychological Experiences
2017-2020
leather bound book with gold embossing, text panels, sound, oval light installation
book: 36.8×25.8×4.4(h) cm
sound: 8’, loop

CHEN Zhe

891 Dusks: An Encyclopedia of Psychological Experiences (book)
2017-2020
leather bound book with gold embossing, text panels, sound, oval light installation
book: 36.8×25.8×4.4(h) cm
sound: 8’, loop

CHEN Zhe

Enter Chien et Loup: Dog/Wolf
2017
terrazzo
60×197×2(h) cm

CHEN Zhe

Enter Chien et Loup: Known/Unknown
2017
terrazzo
60×333×3(h) cm

CHEN Zhe

Study of a Poem by Rainer Maria Rilke
2016
archival inkjet prints with handwritings
85×45 cm each, set of 3

CHEN Zhe

Study of a Poem by Rainer Maria Rilke (detail)
2016
archival inkjet prints with handwritings
85×45 each, set of 3

CHEN Zhe

An Expansion of Kobo Abe’s The Red Cocoon (Viewing)
2016
archival inkjet print face-mounted to diasec acrylic, in artist’s frame
100×70 cm each, set of 7

CHEN Zhe

An Expansion of Kobo Abe’s The Red Cocoon (Viewing) II
2016
archival inkjet print face-mounted to diasec acrylic, in artist’s frame
100×70 cm

CHEN Zhe

An Expansion of Kobo Abe’s The Red Cocoon (Viewing) V
2016
archival inkjet print face-mounted to diasec acrylic, in artist’s frame
100×70 cm

CHEN Zhe

Towards Evenings: The Clock (2017 ver.)
2017
engraved brass plate, halogen bulb
46.8×46.8×10(h) cm

CHEN Zhe

Towards Evenings: The Clock (2018 ver.)
2018
engraved brass plate, halogen bulb
46.8×46.8×10(h) cm

CHEN Zhe

Towards Evenings: The Restoration (2016 PSA ver.)
2016
archives
dimension variable

CHEN Zhe

Towards Evenings: The Restoration (2017 CAFAM ver.)
2017
archives
dimension variable

CHEN Zhe

Bees series
2010-2012
30 groups of texts
40 archival pigment inkjet prints in Nielsen aluminum frames
large format: 100×120 cm / 84×120 cm
small format: 50×60 cm / 42×60 cm

CHEN Zhe

The Bearable series
2007-2010
30 archival pigment inkjet prints in Nielsen aluminum frames
image: 28.8×43.2 cm / 32.4×43.2 cm
frame: 60×80 cm

EXHIBITIONS

NEWS