Artwork Appreciation
Since the 1990s, CHOU Ching-Hui has been using photography to capture special groups of people living in the modern society. Animal Farm: Life Boundary Frame Series III divides a scene like a theatrical stage. The household shown in the left panel is furnished with the Bodhisattva, an old pine tree, and white cranes that symbolize the desire for fortunes and longevity. The scene also includes an old man wearing a breathing mask to keep himself alive while watching TV to pass the time as the screen lighting reflects off his face, further accentuating the loneliness of old age. The old lady on a wheelchair at the outdoor balcony peacefully looks on at the faraway scenery. CHOU Ching-Hui uses surreal zoo-based settings to depict the absurdity and awkwardness of the modern dystopia, conveying the inevitability of old age that hovers over everyone like an inescapable net. The purpose is to help viewers contemplate and adjust their mindset when it comes to old age.