Chen Chieh-jen｜Pha-jiu: Your Sea, MyLand｜Matsu Biennial
Empire's Border II－Western Enterprise, Inc.
Dates｜2025.09.05 – 11.16
Hour｜Daily 9:00 - 16:00
Venue｜Chung Cheng Hall, Xiju island, Matsu island
The artist Chen Chieh-jen's work "Empire's Border II－Western Enterprise, Inc. " is presented in the Matsu Biennial from 5 September to 16 November. The artist has divided the video into distinct sections, bringing the historical context of Chung Cheng Hall in Xiju. The space, once used for military film screenings and assemblies, is now transformed into an alternative viewing experience—as audiences move between different screens, following the protagonist's steps, they experience the era's call to action for "Western Enterprise Inc." in the crucible.
Chen Chieh-jen（1960-）frequently receives overseas invitation, and his works were collected by several significant art museums, such as Art Sonje Center , Seoul ; Centre Georges-Pompidou, Paris; M+, Hong Kong; Mori Art Museum, Tokyo, etc. His works had been presented in many international museums, such as Vienna Secession, MUDAM Luxembourg, Tate, Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, Galerie Nationale du Jeu de Paume, etc. Additionally, he had also been invited to engaged in the dozens of contemporary art biennials and more than a hundred exhibitions in Venice, Sao Paulo, Lyon, Liverpool, Gothenburg, Istanbul, Moscow, Sydney, Taipei, Shanghai and so on.
▌Curatorial Statement
Pha-jiu: Your Sea, My Land
In the Eastern Min dialect, pha-jiu is an important traditional fishing method passed down through the generations in Matsu. Every August and September, the entire village is mobilized as men head to sea together for over ten days, driving massive bamboo piles into the seabed to attach fishing nets that become the foundation for next year's catch.
Ban Ji Tou (Season's Preparations) marks the start of the fishing season, when all residents join in the preparations. From purchasing straw and oversized bamboo in late spring, weaving and sunning the nets to make dou-qiu in summer, harvesting krill and fish through pha-jiu in autumn, to the Pai Ming (Matsu Lantern Night) Festival celebrating bountiful harvest in winter, every season and festival in Matsu is deeply connected with activities at sea.
Pha-Jiu is more than a fishing method, but also a representation of the wisdom and faith of the Matsu people in their symbiotic relationship with the sea. The ever-changing weather and sea conditions present a constant test for the fishing community. The aokous or harbors of Matsu are not only sites that recollect the seasonal fish migrations and flavors of the sea of the past, but also carry the memories of protracted war on the frontline islands. In the 1960s and 1970s, hundreds of fishing boats and bamboo stakes were lined up across the coasts of the four townships and five islands, representing the golden era in Matsu’s fishing history.
"Your Sea, My Land" extends the traditional wisdom of pha-jiu beyond the shores, transforming it into the contemporary Matsu Biennial. Through diverse art forms, the theme connects Matsu’s cultural heritage and modern life to explore topics of ecology, identity, spatial politics, and relational aesthetics. By subverting the established imagination of terrestrial hegemony and embracing an open, fluid oceanic identity, the Biennial starts from the aokous of Matsu and reaches out across the four townships and five islands. It re-examines the symbiotic relationship between the ocean and the people, shaping Matsu’s cultural confidence as an island community.
Pha-jiu is an important process of fishing, driving stakes, and setting nets. It also symbolizes how art can anchor the island’s transformation, expanding the foundation for collective identity and participation.
The 3rd Matsu Biennial welcomes creators, audiences, residents, and anyone anywhere with an affinity to Matsu to join in the spirit of creating as a community. Together, through pha-jiu, you will lay the groundwork for a shared vision of the Biennial, situating art as an integral aspect of Matsu life as we re-examine our symbiotic relationship with the sea and illuminate a glistening future of the islands on both land and at sea.
More information
https://matsubiennial.tw/artworks/details/390
Chen Chieh-jen（1960-）frequently receives overseas invitation, and his works were collected by several significant art museums, such as Art Sonje Center , Seoul ; Centre Georges-Pompidou, Paris; M+, Hong Kong; Mori Art Museum, Tokyo, etc. His works had been presented in many international museums, such as Vienna Secession, MUDAM Luxembourg, Tate, Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, Galerie Nationale du Jeu de Paume, etc. Additionally, he had also been invited to engaged in the dozens of contemporary art biennials and more than a hundred exhibitions in Venice, Sao Paulo, Lyon, Liverpool, Gothenburg, Istanbul, Moscow, Sydney, Taipei, Shanghai and so on.
▌Curatorial Statement
Pha-jiu: Your Sea, My Land
In the Eastern Min dialect, pha-jiu is an important traditional fishing method passed down through the generations in Matsu. Every August and September, the entire village is mobilized as men head to sea together for over ten days, driving massive bamboo piles into the seabed to attach fishing nets that become the foundation for next year's catch.
Ban Ji Tou (Season's Preparations) marks the start of the fishing season, when all residents join in the preparations. From purchasing straw and oversized bamboo in late spring, weaving and sunning the nets to make dou-qiu in summer, harvesting krill and fish through pha-jiu in autumn, to the Pai Ming (Matsu Lantern Night) Festival celebrating bountiful harvest in winter, every season and festival in Matsu is deeply connected with activities at sea.
Pha-Jiu is more than a fishing method, but also a representation of the wisdom and faith of the Matsu people in their symbiotic relationship with the sea. The ever-changing weather and sea conditions present a constant test for the fishing community. The aokous or harbors of Matsu are not only sites that recollect the seasonal fish migrations and flavors of the sea of the past, but also carry the memories of protracted war on the frontline islands. In the 1960s and 1970s, hundreds of fishing boats and bamboo stakes were lined up across the coasts of the four townships and five islands, representing the golden era in Matsu’s fishing history.
"Your Sea, My Land" extends the traditional wisdom of pha-jiu beyond the shores, transforming it into the contemporary Matsu Biennial. Through diverse art forms, the theme connects Matsu’s cultural heritage and modern life to explore topics of ecology, identity, spatial politics, and relational aesthetics. By subverting the established imagination of terrestrial hegemony and embracing an open, fluid oceanic identity, the Biennial starts from the aokous of Matsu and reaches out across the four townships and five islands. It re-examines the symbiotic relationship between the ocean and the people, shaping Matsu’s cultural confidence as an island community.
Pha-jiu is an important process of fishing, driving stakes, and setting nets. It also symbolizes how art can anchor the island’s transformation, expanding the foundation for collective identity and participation.
The 3rd Matsu Biennial welcomes creators, audiences, residents, and anyone anywhere with an affinity to Matsu to join in the spirit of creating as a community. Together, through pha-jiu, you will lay the groundwork for a shared vision of the Biennial, situating art as an integral aspect of Matsu life as we re-examine our symbiotic relationship with the sea and illuminate a glistening future of the islands on both land and at sea.
More information
https://matsubiennial.tw/artworks/details/390
