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Post-Grad Portraits: Yi-Chiao Chen (International Women's Day Special)

a person wearing a face mask in between two paintings

Written byPost-Grad Community
Published date 04 March 2024

A series of interviews with alumni from across UAL, Post-Grad Portraits is a chance to highlight the achievements of postgrads from the last decade. Post-Grad Portraits is part of our celebration of Post-Grad Community's 10 year anniversary.

Yi-Chiao Chen

MFA Fine Art, Wimbledon College of Arts (2020)

Hi Yi-Chiao! Could you tell us a little about yourself and your time at UAL?

My name is Yi-Chiao Chen. Now, I am living and working in Taipei. I finished my MFA in Fine Art at Wimbledon College of Arts at the University of Arts London in 2018-2020. During my time at UAL, I started developing artworks concerned with the mother and child, and abstract subjects. Most notably, when I just finished my course, my works were selected to be exhibited at the Saatchi Gallery, and reviewed by Waldemar Januszczak in The Sunday Times. I appreciated UAL giving postgraduates this opportunity.

a person carving wood — **Yi-Chiao-Chen, 2020 MA Fine Art, Wimbledon College of Arts, UAL**

Could you tell us about your current work?

I established my art studio in Taipei in 2021, as well as the YI KUO ART DESIGN Company with my partners, where I am also CEO. Our business includes art education (for children and adults), exhibitions (planning), art workshops, and design services (graphic design to spatial design).

people kneeling in a garden — **Yi-Chiao-Chen, 2020 MA Fine Art, Wimbledon College of Arts, UAL**

Your work often crosses over different practices of art including painting, photography, digital art, installation, and video. How do you feel each medium can be used to respond to specific themes of work, and do you have a preference on developing work in a particular medium?

I believe that each medium can be used to respond to a specific work theme, and can diversify the way artistic works are presented. Therefore, I will try to use different media to experiment with how to express myself better. Regarding the theme, I often try different presentation methods in various media to find the one that I think is the most unique and suitable for presentation. Finally, I will tend to develop a series of works in specific media.

a person praying — **Yi-Chiao-Chen, 2020 MA Fine Art, Wimbledon College of Arts, UAL**

How does it feel to create such personal work, and what draws you to this in the first place?

What draws me to this? I want push the boundaries of painting techniques to explore different combinations and experiment to do something exciting.

How did your course and time at UAL shape the way you practice, and your relationship to, creating art now?

I was greatly inspired by artistic and philosophical thinking, as well as the ability to explore various speculations about art, to explore the artistic aspect of "Why do I do this?" These studies were very helpful for me in artistic creation.

**Yi-Chiao-Chen, 2020 MA Fine Art, Wimbledon College of Arts, UAL**

What’s been your most challenging hurdle you’ve faced as an artist? And what advice do you have to current students at UAL when it comes to embarking on their career?

For me, the biggest difficulty as an artist is how to have sufficient funds to support the art I want to do, such as funds for exhibitions, or working capital for a studio, etc. Currently, I am in Taiwan, I hope to develop in a larger international city (London or New York) in the future, so there will be more opportunities to participate in international exhibitions.

My advice to current UAL students is to never be afraid to try any possibility, because our creativity is endless, and the most important thing is to be willing to take the first step.

four people in a park having a picnic — **Yi-Chiao-Chen, 2020 MA Fine Art, Wimbledon College of Arts, UAL**

Finally, we’d love to hear about any memories you have about your time at

I miss the time of creating art at UAL very much, and I also miss everything about London. For me, the city of London provides me with great nourishment for my artistic creation. In the future, I hope I can come back to London to create art.