Weathered, mottled jointed dolls, props, and product packaging come together in Shih Yung-Chun’s works to form scenes of life’s comedies and tragedies. When viewing his art, one’s mind can’t help but drift back to the pure and beautiful days of childhood—when a few sugary treats rewarded by our parents and a handful of plastic toys were enough to accompany us through long summer and winter vacations.
Taiwanese artist Shih Yung-Chun’s creative practice revolves around a dialogue among memory, time, and objects. Growing up in a juàncūn (military dependents’ village) during Taiwan’s economic boom, he developed a deep sensitivity toward things disappearing amid rapid change. This sensitivity has driven him, since his university years, to systematically collect old items—from everyday household objects salvaged from abandoned juàncūn to toys, magazines, and packaging boxes found in flea markets. These objects, bearing the traces of their era, have not only become materials for his art but also serve as a medium connecting the past and the present.
