R U B Y C H I U

Instagram : ruby199905

A R T W O R K

 A R T I S T S T A T M E N T

My practice has been evolving continuously under the theme of language and identity, presenting the experience as a non-native and a minority in a foreign country. I search for the method to expose the incongruence of language through culture, linguistic characteristics and personal experience with increasing interest also on history. Taking Umber Eco’s concept on ‘interpretation and overinterpretation’, not all interpretation are valid as the text produces its model reader instead of us producing the meaning. We are just actors who tries to find the model reader through overinterpretation. To solve such problem, focusing on ‘the intention of the text’ would help as it somehow indicates the author’s cultural and linguistic background. Shared background help one to gain quicker understanding and connection to the author (or artist). I aim to investigate on the translation and mistranslation of language and push the limit of the moment where our thought is stated as excess interpretation.

 My work exists mainly as installations and sculptures, yet seeing the pandemic as an opportunity, it is currently expanding with more diverse approaches such as performance, photography, texts and multi-media. The installations and the objects are a replacement of myself -- my body and my language. They are usually fragile and placed neatly as a representation of my sensitivity to the outer world and self-isolation under an unfamiliar culture. My texts relates strongly to my individual experience and cultural background, concerning the language barrier and cultural shock when I am forced into a new environment. It records the time and the words for the specific moment in various language. It could be seen as an journey of me documenting my life, especially on how I understand myself and my community. Also, it marks the mistranslation of words and lost of meanings due to deficient of vocabularies which again highlights my cultural background. My art pieces require a collaboration between me and the audience – the author and the reader to complete the work through re-contextualizing the content and detaching from one’s inherited knowledge. Besides the mentioned, I am exploring the possibility of using my body as an object. I assume one’s body language holds the same power as verbal communication. Even in such times where body language is reduced, it could still play its role in videos. 

  Through referencing artists such as Jenny Holzer and Xu Bing, two artists who encounter greatly with linguistics and cultures through texts, I further understand my practice as to interrupt one’s cognitive understanding on a language and its meanings. People are too arrogant on their knowledge to a language, which lead to overlooking on its potential usage so as the power of culture. Thus, I am interested on how native and non-native language would lead to different amount of overestimation on an artwork and texts. This might be going against Umber’s ideology, but it is worth to see how much power the audiences could gain. 

E X H I B I T I O N

Artist & Curator

Deptford Does Art, London

08/2021

Collaborated and curated an exhibition in team of 5 so as exhibiting as an artist in the exhibition. 

Hong Kong Visual Arts Centre

08/2019

Assisted on the preparation of the exhibition and exhibited as a member of Haam4 Seoi2 Goeng1(鹹水薑), also provide help on curating the space, holding activities and sending invitations to schools.