Drifting in the Future – Yen Ching-Chieh Solo Exhibition

or the first time, artist Yen Ching-Chieh is holding his solo exhibition, “Drifting in the Future,” at the Liang Gallery. A continuation of his recent Drifting series, this exhibition showcases his works over the last few years. Using illusionary and surreal imagery, he depicts a distant future, while reflecting on the development of human civilization and changes of the environment.

In the exhibition “Drifting in the Future,” an expansive world of the future is constructed. In the future, Earth has already become unsuitable for human life. Humankind has already left the earth to find its new home, continuously drifting throughout and exploring the universe. To survive, the creatures remaining on Earth have evolved physical features and appearances to adapt to all kinds of dangerous environments. Even their intelligence has advanced to levels that allow them to make use of human technology left behind. As a result, they wear and use human equipment in their competition for survival with other creatures.

Taking on a god-like role, the artist observes every individual detail of this world system. With whimsical pictures filled with symbolic imagery, the artist creates a unique system of symbols that combines animal imagery with a sense of technology, while invoking the relationship between human technological development and environmental change. In this way, he provides his own interpretation of the world of the future.