Artwork Appreciation
CHEN Po-I uses photography as his creative media and has a personal connection towards in-depth observation and contemplation towards the moving and reconstructing of military dependents’ village, generating photographs of ruins that contain a distinct personal signature. OutLook (No 66, Haishan 2nd Rd., Hongmaogang, Kaohsiung City) shows a drastically renovated settlement upon the barrier islands. The scene of old ladies collecting water from the well and playing children has been replaced by a prosperous and bustling Port of Kaohsiung. The artist believes that the window serves as an emotional opening that connects people to local landscapes. Industrial growth has forced the gradual disappearance of traditional settlements, reconstructing the people’s memories of the land. The window scene, however, can only serve as a disconnected historical record of Taiwan’s geographical gazette. CHEN Po-I’s works incorporate aesthetics with his long-term observation on Taiwanese ruins to inspire concern for our cultural heritage.