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When Linhuei Chen (1981) moved to the Netherlands, she developed a fascination for the sand dunes. They reminded her of the mountains in her native Taiwan, even though they are also entirely different. In that sense they touch on a core theme in Chen’s work: how migrants search for recognizable elements in a new environment. And also how this can cause them to experience feelings of both security and alienation.
For the multimedia project A Sci-Fi Story About Migration (2024-ongoing) Chen developed a unique working method. Her paintings, assemblages, and sculptures are often based on workshops during which participants play games designed by her. These games focus on how different cultures can coexist, today, but especially in the future. In order to make the conversations about these future scenarios as inclusive as possible, she consciously involves people from various migrant groups in these workshops.
The tryptic Bureau of Dunes Landscape Planning (2025), which Chen is showing at Prospects, resembles a science-fiction story. We see characters from different cultural backgrounds discussing future scenarios and make plans to fight climate change. What will the dune landscape look like in the future? How can we protect the landscape? And what will happen if it cannot be saved?
Chen paints in oils on canvas. Although her style and technique are strongly influenced by Western painting, in her more recent canvases she increasingly incorporates elements from Japanese and Chinese art. While painting, she thus not only reflects on her own cultural identity, but also on possibilities for cultural exchange and hybridity.
Text: Sarah van Binsbergen
Translated from Dutch by Marie Louise Schoondergang (The Art of Translation)