Faculty of Design

Material Art & Design

Si Chen

Unknown Fairy Tale

Unknown Fairy Tale is a series of works related to child sexual abuse and based on the author's actual memories. There are four pieces in the series, and they unfold in time, from "wounded", " ferment", "struggle", to "healing". Each piece can be worn, and several pieces incorporate the nature of performance art and invite the audience to participate. In addition to the direct visual impact, the viewer is given space to think. Besides, many second-hand children's items (clothes, toys, jewellery, etc.) are used to create a tactile and visual emotional connection with the audience. As narrative wearables, Unknown Fairy Tale uses body language and material language in combination with different artistic techniques to create its narrative context and to write to the audience about a real-life journey after a traumatic experience.

“ The illustrations in "Struggle" show bondage and liberation, with the surrounding lichen in the shape of sexual organs suggesting darkness and death. Thus I continued the concept of "spreading" that the plant corresponded to and designed the lichen in the form of genitalia. Lichens like to grow in dark, humid places, and when too much lichen grows on a plant, the plant faces death. Therefore, in this work, I make myself completely wrapped up so that the sense of squeezing and covering is expressed. My movement is fixed, encircling myself, and I lose my human form under the cover of the plants. But this movement is not only to show that I am bound by memory but also to give myself a hug and comfort at the same time. The plant forms are divided into male genitalia, female genitalia, and children's stumps. In terms of material language, I used second-hand children's clothing as part of the clothes. I hope to demand a poignant visual experience in this sense of imbalanced interplay.”