Wen-Jen Deng
Wen-Jen Deng graduated in 1999 from the National School of Fine Arts (École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts, ENSBA) in Paris, France. Her early work featured oil paintings with mixed media, grounded in everyday life on traditional Taiwanese floral fabrics. In recent years, the artist has manifested themes such as historical events, mythology and legends, migration of ethnic groups, and the movement of species through woven tapestries and indigo-dyed embroidered maps. Seeking to move beyond from the realm of decorative arts, Deng breathes new life into traditional techniques including dyeing, weaving, and embroidery through soft sculpture, installation, and video art.
- Location USA / Los Angeles
- Year of the Grant 2023
- Residency 18th Street Arts Center
- Work Globalization at Table
- Personal Website Wen-Jen Deng's Personal Website
Just like Taiwan, the United States is home to diverse communities. Free from the weight of traditional constraints, it is vibrant and full of life, making it the kind of environment I’ve longed to experience. One of the strengths of the 18th Street Arts Center is openness; self-driven artists will find it ideal to explore this place. Additionally, Los Angeles is brimming with public and private museums with endless opportunities for visual and intellectual engagement. These institutions are easily accessible by public transport, too. On weekdays, I’d even ride my bike to a farmers’ market, where I could find leafy greens commonly seen in Taiwan!
The Open Studio event was held in collaboration with artists from Germany and the United States. I would suggest artists begin preparations early and thoroughly communicate with the host institution. Although the COVID-19 pandemic had eased, the U.S. had not officially lifted restrictions at the time. Therefore, the residency continued to host roundtable talks online, along with virtual studio visits with curators.
During this residency, I took globalization during the Age of Exploration as the central theme of my project, Globalization at Table. While the United States was not a direct participant in this historical era, crops cultivated by indigenous peoples in the Americas spread across the globe through exchanges between the Old and New Worlds. Positioned at the strategic crossroads of maritime trade, Taiwan saw the introduction of various fruits and vegetables by the Dutch East India Company in 1624. In this sense, the concept of globalization began with food. To gather materials related to maritime history and seafaring, I visited the Maritime Museum in San Francisco, where I saw historic 3-masted ships and learned what it was like to travel by sea 150 years ago through immersive installations. The experience proved to be deeply enriching for me. Finally, I created a large-scale artwork measuring 150 by 300 cm. It combines indigo-dyed embroidery, mixed media, and soft sculpture to depict a world map. Through this cartographic approach, I continue to invite reflection and inquiry into history and contemporary society.
Author: Wen-Jen Deng
Edited: Brix