The body and the look in the Chen Chieh-jen´s work
Keywords:
body, gaze, lingchi, colonialism, globalization.
Abstract
Chen Chieh-jen is a Taiwanese video artist whose work shows the power relations between the so-called “mainstream” and “the periphery” from a postcolonial point of view. By focusing on one of his video artworks called Lingchi-Echoes of a Historical Photograph (2002), the article will demonstrate how the body is used as a metaphor in order to represent contemporary Taiwanese history, politics and society. Most notably, the body is used by the author to emphasize the effects of colonialism and globalization in Taiwan. Chen compares both as an everlasting process of mutilation and “Chinese punishment”. This fragmented body will be use to critize the political struggles between the Chinese government (People’s Republic of China) and Taiwanese politicians in the XXth century. Finally, special relevance will be given to the artistic and symbolic role of the gaze in this work, as a critic to the mainstream power.Downloads
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Published
2011-02-11
How to Cite
Sanz Giménez S. (2011). The body and the look in the Chen Chieh-jen´s work. Anales de Historia del Arte, 21(Extra), 507-519. https://doi.org/10.5209/rev_ANHA.2011.37478
Section
Articles
License
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