ChihChung Chang 張致中 (b. 1986, Kaohsiung, Taiwan) is a visual artist and cultural researcher based in Groningen, the Netherlands and Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
2025 Biennial Year Find out more
Chang regards the ocean as a reflection of the current Anthropocene civilization on land, using water as a medium to penetrate the inner spirit and outer material to reflect the transition, flow, and anti-subjective instability of his homeland Taiwan under the subtropical monsoon climate. His works combine multiple forms and media with keen craftsmanship, paying attention to those ever-changing environments of ships, islands, waters and ports, and exploring the universal experience, tension and gray areas between human, civilization and nature. His works won the first prize of the “Kaohsiung Awards”, been selected for the “Taoyuan International Art Award”, “Taipei Art Awards”, “Taishin Art Award” quarterly nominations, and have been collected by art museums and other institutions. He has been funded by domestic and foreign foundations and institutions, and commissioned by art and historical museums. His works have been exhibited in museums, galleries, biennales, art festivals, and film festivals worldwide.
Selected activities include: “Pan-Austro-Nesian Art Festival” (TW), “Biennale Jogja” (ID), “ARKO A&T Art Festival” (KR), “Jan van Eyck Academie” (NL) and “Ocean Space by TBA21” public program of the Korean Pavilion at Venice Biennale (IT).
ChihChung is a selected artist for the 2025-2026 edition of European Marine Board’s art-science residency programme, ‘EMBracing the Ocean’.
Liverpool Biennial 2025
‘Keystone’, 2025
ChihChung Chang’s works combine multiple forms of media with skilled craftsmanship to explore the connections (universal experiences) and differences (tensions and grey areas) between humans and nature. He references rapidly changing and evolving environments such as ships, islands, water and ports to question how civilisation and our surroundings constantly shape one another. This temporary, collaborative artwork is the result of a series of workshops with local residents, organised in collaboration with Pagoda Arts, in which participants utilised personal objects as prompts to share their individual stories and connections to Liverpool.
This work continues the artist’s ongoing project exploring material archaeology of memory worldwide, which explores how collective environmental memory is shaped through historical, cultural, and site-specific engagement. Focusing this time on
ChihChung Chang’s works combine multiple forms of media with skilled craftsmanship to explore the connections (universal experiences) and differences (tensions and grey areas) between humans and nature. He references rapidly changing and evolving environments such as ships, islands, water and ports to question how civilisation and our surroundings constantly shape one another. This temporary, collaborative artwork is the result of a series of workshops with local residents, organised in collaboration with Pagoda Arts, in which participants utilised personal objects as prompts to share their individual stories and connections to Liverpool. This work continues the artist’s ongoing project exploring material archaeology of memory worldwide, which explores how collective environmental memory is shaped through historical, cultural, and site-specific engagement. Focusing this time on Liverpool – the site of Europe’s earliest Chinatown and one of the first Chinese-speaking communities established nearly two centuries ago—the artist adopts the gaze of an outsider. From this perspective, the work reflects on the turbulent fate of Chinese-speaking immigrants during WWII and the lingering illusions tied to international politics and trade, symbolized by the Chinese Arch. The title responds to the theme of Liverpool Biennial 2025, drawing on the metaphor of an ‘architectural keystone’ – the last stone placed during construction which plays a crucial structural role by locking all other stones into position. It references the many different layers,both physical and symbolic, which have been added over time to construct the grandeur and fragility of this immigration port city. The final work is a mural which reflects the shape of Liverpool’s Imperial Arch – standing at 44 foot tall, it is the largest Chinese arch outside of China and details over 200 dragons. The arch was a gift from Shanghai to celebrate the twinning of the cities 25 years ago. The mural comprises images, text, signatures and charcoal rubbings contributed from local people, combined with the artist’s own rubbings taken from across the city. A video documenting the process of creating this work can be seen as part of an exhibition at Pine Court, 2 minutes’ walk along Nelson St towards the arch. Courtesy of the artist. Commissioned by Liverpool Biennial, with support from Ministry of Culture, Taiwan, and Mondriaan Fund. With thanks to Pagoda Arts.
‘Keystone’, 2025
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ChihChung Chang, ‘Keystone’, 2025. Liverpool Biennial 2025. Photography by Rob Battersby
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ChihChung Chang, ‘Keystone’, 2025. Liverpool Biennial 2025. Photography by Rob Battersby
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ChihChung Chang, ‘Keystone’, 2025. Liverpool Biennial 2025. Photography by Rob Battersby
This edition
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ChihChung Chang, Port of Kaohsiung, 2020. Courtesy of the artist. Photography by ChihChung Chang -
ChihChung Chang, Port of Fata Morgana (video installation partial), 2020. Courtesy of the artist. Photography by ChihChung Chang -
ChihChung Chang, Port of Fata Morgana (film still), 2020. Courtesy of the artist. Photography by ChihChung Chang -
ChihChung Chang, Port of Fata Morgana (film key visual), 2020. Courtesy of the artist. Photography by ChihChung Chang
