Artwork Appreciation
JHAN Jhuang-Syuan’s works focus on family memories of sadness, poverty, and housing justice.
Crime III illustrates illegal building additions that exist in Taiwanese societies which have appeared as a result of poverty. The artist has removed modern-looking buildings from the scene to leave only the stacked rooftop additions. The white yet patchy background contrasts against the dilapidated appearance of the constructs. People within the alleyways have also been removed, leaving a marginalized and forgotten community marked with sorrow. JHAN Jhuang-Syuan has employed his delicate sensitivities when studying the living environments of the poor, offering a sharp critique of society’s quickness to demonize the underclass. Sorrowful brushstrokes illustrate his contemplations as well as personal experiences to portray Taiwanese society and its hostility towards poverty.