The Dream Universe of J is an ongoing art project that Chen did during her residency in Shanghai and Berlin. One of the videos ‘A Brief Introduction of J’s Dream Universe’ was firstly presented in the exhibition ‘Distilled Revery’ at Untitled Space, Shanghai. It was later developed into an immersive video installation that was presented to popular acclaim in the group exhibition ‘Orphaned Memories’, at SomoS exhibition space as part of the official program of the 2019 municipal 48Hours Neukölln Arts Festival.
  
  
This multi-media installation took the shape of an imaginary crime scene. Deepening her preoccupation with subconscious processes, the audience was invited to psychically follow the clues, ranging from poetic interventions and light/video installations to references to masters of Automatism, Brion Gysin and William S. Burroughs.

The Dream Universe of J

This is the trailer for the second video of 'FACTORY'

‘FACTORY’ is a project that was developed based on the illustration series ‘100 Ideas of Hands’ and the video work ‘Study of Hands’, both inspired by the Dunhuang Buddhist art in China. By analysing and re-arranging the traditional Chinese and European art elements, combined with my own personal experiences and interpretations, ‘FACTORY’ is a bricolage that told a story about a fictional historical laboratory in an idiosyncratic narrative form. It also involved my interests in juxtaposing and combining the ancient arts with modern technologies, such as video games and social media.

  
_“Dealing with the strains and inevitabilities of life, Buddhism suggests lettin the pressure drop by way of acceptance and letting go. In her art project ‘Study of Hands’, Singapore-based Chinese multidisciplinary artist Dongyan Chen researches depictions of hands and gestures found in the ancient Buddhist murals of the Dunhuang grotto in China. This deep iconographic exploration leads to drawings, NFTs, video installations, and electronic music bridging Eastern spirituality and Western technology across the ages._

  
_Chen created new fictional narratives by comparing, reinterpreting, and reconstructing the motifs, recognizing and playing with their meaning, memeability, and expressive potential. In this way, she re-imagines ancient art through her contemporary practice, while bringing different cultures and ways of making art into a conversation. ”_ —— SomoS Art House

  
‘FACTORY’ was first exhibited at the exhibition ‘Pressure Drop’ at SomoS Art House Berlin, together with the video work ‘Study of Hands’ and the illustration series ‘100 Ideas of Hands’. ‘Pressure Drop’ was part of the 48 Stunden Neukölln Art Festival 2022.

F A C T O R Y - Every Part of My Body Will Turn Into Eyes Beyond the Sky (Trailer)

‘FACTORY’ is a project that was developed based on the illustration series ‘100 Ideas of Hands’ and the video work ‘Study of Hands’, both inspired by the Dunhuang Buddhist art in China. By analysing and re-arranging the traditional Chinese and European art elements, combined with my own personal experiences and interpretations, ‘FACTORY’ is a bricolage that told a story about a fictional historical laboratory in an idiosyncratic narrative form. It also involved my interests in juxtaposing and combining the ancient arts with modern technologies, such as video games and social media.

  
_“Dealing with the strains and inevitabilities of life, Buddhism suggests lettin the pressure drop by way of acceptance and letting go. In her art project ‘Study of Hands’, Singapore-based Chinese multidisciplinary artist Dongyan Chen researches depictions of hands and gestures found in the ancient Buddhist murals of the Dunhuang grotto in China. This deep iconographic exploration leads to drawings, NFTs, video installations, and electronic music bridging Eastern spirituality and Western technology across the ages._

  
_Chen created new fictional narratives by comparing, reinterpreting, and reconstructing the motifs, recognizing and playing with their meaning, memeability, and expressive potential. In this way, she re-imagines ancient art through her contemporary practice, while bringing different cultures and ways of making art into a conversation. ”_ —— SomoS Art House

  
‘FACTORY’ was first exhibited at the exhibition ‘Pressure Drop’ at SomoS Art House Berlin, together with the video work ‘Study of Hands’ and the illustration series ‘100 Ideas of Hands’. ‘Pressure Drop’ was part of the 48 Stunden Neukölln Art Festival 2022.

F A C T O R Y - Information Portal

_‘Study of hands’_ is a project that explores the richness in the forms and movements of hands.

  
The project is inspired by Dunhuang grottoes art. Dunhuang is an ancient oasis town located at a religious and cultural crossroads on China’s Silk Road. The grottoes art in Dunhuang is the finest example of Buddhist art, that had spanned over a period of 1000 years.

  
A few years ago, I came across a catalogue of Zhang Daqian's copies of Dunhuang mural paintings. I was fascinated by the fluent lines and beautiful colour of Buddhist art. What intrigued me the most is _Gandharva (Flying Apsaras)_, who are the gods in charge of holy songs and dances. They symbolise happiness and joy in heaven and are featured prominently in Buddhist murals as figures playing traditional Chinese instruments.

Study of Hands

_‘100 Ideas of Eyes’_ is a series of illustrations that explores the possibilities and imagination of eyes. It is part of the project ‘[FACTORY](https://dongyanchen.com/FACTORY)’.

Daily update on Instagram([@dongyanllustration](https://www.instagram.com/dongyanllustration/)).

100 Ideas of Eyes

_‘100 Ideas of Hands’_ is a series of illustrations that explores the possibilities and imagination of hands. It is part of the project ‘[FACTORY](https://dongyanchen.com/FACTORY)’.

Daily update on Instagram([@dongyanllustration](https://www.instagram.com/dongyanllustration/)).

100 Ideas of Hands

_Sewbrella Machine'_ is a video project concerned with an imag­inary radio broadcast, produced when coronavirus first start­ed spreading across China.

  
Chen happened to be in China to celebrate Chinese New Year with her family during this period. As a measure to decrease the chance of being infected or of spreading the virus, the Chinese government asked people to stay at home as much as possible. Consequentially, Chen decided to invite her friends in China, who were also trapped at home during Chinese New Year, to be the audience of her ra­dio broadcasting. She invited them to write and send stories to her and to ask her any questions via an online platform. As the host of this fictional broadcasting channel, Chen used her per­sonal interpretation to respond to the messages she received.

  
The name of Chen's broadcast 'Sewbrella Machine', was in­spired by a quote from the 1869 novel, Les Chants de Mal­doror, by Comte de Lautreamont: 'as beautiful as the chance encounter of a sewing machine and an umbrella on an operat­ing table'. Chen's fictional broadcasting channel functions like a sewing machine; it brings together different people's stories in order to make a collaged piece.

  
The work demonstrates the significance of the internet in contemporary culture, as a platform to maintain, tighten, and strengthen our social relationships, during times when we are unable to meet face to face.
  
  
This work was first exhibited in the exhibition ‘**Across the Haze**’ at Trocadero Art Space, Melbourne, and later exhibited again in the exhibition **‘Bidirectional Intervention’** at JCAS, Nanjing. It was also nominated for [**ACCIDENTING**](https://goldcssa.art/14), CSSA-Goldsmiths International Youth Art & Design Exhibition in 2020, and selected in the **Longlist** for **BBA Artist Prize 2021.**

Sewbrella Machine

  
Designed and drew by Chen, **Galaxy Hunter Game** was a fictional card game in the work [_‘The Dream Universe of J’_](https://dongyanchen.com/The-Dream-Universe-of-J). It was an important clue and prop in this installation to deliver some information to the audience. Inspired by Tarot, there were 16 cards in this game, each card was represented by a word or a phrase.

  
In _‘The Dream Universe of J’_, Galaxy Hunter Game was mostly used for divinatory purposes. There was a fictional _Galaxy Hunter Game Community_ that posted _‘Card of the Day’_ on social media occasionally, to interact with the audience.

Galaxy Hunter Game

‘The Conversation' was part of the project 'The Dream Universe of J'.

The Dream Universe of J is an ongoing art project that Chen did during her residency in Shanghai and Berlin. One of the videos ‘A Brief Introduction of J’s Dream Universe’ was firstly presented in the exhibition ‘Distilled Revery’ at Untitled Space, Shanghai. It was later developed into an immersive video installation that was presented to popular acclaim in the group exhibition ‘Orphaned Memories’, at SomoS exhibition space as part of the official program of the 2019 municipal 48Hours Neukölln Arts Festival.

This multi-media installation took the shape of an imaginary crime scene. Deepening her preoccupation with subconscious processes, the audience was invited to psychically follow the clues, ranging from poetic interventions and light/video installations to references to masters of Automatism, Brion Gysin and William S. Burroughs.

The Conversation

A Brief Introduction of J’s Dream Universe

_Poiesis_ is a single-channel video installation juxtaposed with a piece of experimental writing on the wall.

  
It was originally inspired by Benjamin Whorf’s Sapir-Whorf hypothesis, which led Chen to think about how will people react when they heard different languages at the same time? If one could not understand the languages he or she is listening to, does that mean the language lost its function to deliver messages?

  
In this video installation, most of the texts and moving images are very fragmental, it seems to suggest something but did not really deliver clear information to the audience. The piece of text on the wall works is more like a collage rather than a piece of writing. If we could not understand the text, will it just become an image or collage?

  
The video was later presented in the exhibition _‘Déjà Vu’_ at Freud Museum London.

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Dongyan Chen