Chao-Liang SHEN

Chao-Liang SHEN (b.1968) was born in Tainan, Taiwan. As an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Tamkang University, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, and National Chengchu University since 2010. He currently lives in Taiwan as a professor in the Department of Photography and VR Design at Huafan University." 

Taiwan’s plebeian social culture has been concerned SHEN greatly. Through documentary photography, SHEN has recorded the exclusive cultural symbols of Taiwan and developed a unique style in terms of subject matter and aesthetics. He plays undoubtedly an import role in contemporary Taiwanese photography. Chao-Liang SHEN’s considerations for the history and humanity can be traced back to “Reflections of Nan-Fang-Ao” which is about the life of early fishers, “YULAN Magnolia Flower” fills with landscapes from nature fields and “STAGE” shows the unique culture from Taiwan. He captures the daily life and regular details from people through his lens. He esteems the bravery and the attitude towards obstacles in life unremittingly from people. The series of “Tsukiji Fish Market” is not only an end of a history, but also a salutation of his young hood memories. Since 2015, the artist has initiated the series of Drifting, which differs from his previous creative practice regarding the topics and geographical span. On the one hand, the series attempts to present the multiple aspects of the destiny of the country and recalls the connection between the land and history. On the other hand, it probes Taiwan’s crucial geographical relevance to the globe. Drifting, Chiayi reflects the issue of the ecosystem in Taiwan since “Baishui Lake” in Dongshi Township of Chiayi, where fishery has long been the main economic resource, suffers terribly from land subsidence and seawater intrusion. Through his interpretation, each photo connects historical events and provokes the viewers to think about the confronting challenges in Taiwan. 

His works have been displayed in numerous international exhibitions, including CENTRO DE ARTES DE SINES, Portugal (2020), Museum Centre Ploschad Mira, Russia (2019), Gyeonggi Museum of Art, Korea (2019), Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art, Cornell University (2017), Piazza Santo Stefano, Milano (2015). The artist has also held his first retrospective solo photography exhibition in 2024 at the Higashikawa Culture Gallery, Japan. He is the first Taiwanese photographer in 30 years to receive the international award of The Photographic Society of Japan. SHEN was also awarded with 1st Place in Book of Documentary Category and 2nd place in Self Published Category for International Photography Award (IPA), as well as The Golden Tripod Award, Best Photography, The Ministry of Culture of Taiwan, and Artists Wanted:2011, New York. His work is collected by Louis Vuitton, National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts, Dong-gang Museum of Photography.