Taiwanese Artist Chen Cheng-Yu Residency in Czech Republic Explores Post-WWII Sudeten German Expulsion

(Central News Agency, Prague, 9th) Taiwanese artist Chen Cheng-Yu recently completed a residency in the Czech Republic and held a solo exhibition titled 'Dream of the Eggs.' The works explore the history of the expulsion of ethnic German families from the Sudetenland region of Czechoslovakia after World War II. Curator Tereza Havelková stated that Chen's works bring a completely new and unique perspective, injecting new energy into the art scene.

Chen's residency outcome exhibition 'Dream of the Eggs' is on display at MeetFactory, a contemporary art space in Prague, Czech Republic. The works incorporate materials such as eggs, eggshells, and glass, sparking curiosity among European audiences.

In an interview with CNA, Chen said the inspiration for 'Dream of the Eggs' comes from the turbulent history of the Sudetenland region before and after WWII. At that time, many ethnic German families were engaged in glass craftsmanship there. However, after the defeat of Nazi Germany, hundreds of thousands of Germans were forced to leave Czechoslovakia. 'What interests me is how this country cut off a group that it didn't seem to consider part of itself,' he said.

Chen explained that these people had only 48 hours to pack, and the items they could carry were strictly regulated. Deciding what to take became a problem. 'Under such conditions, how were eggs carried?' he pondered.

Chen shared that he loves eggs, but they are fragile and difficult to transport, requiring a specific, firm yet gentle way of handling. This prompted him to think about how people transport and protect this precious everyday object during displacement and migration.

Regarding Chen's work, MeetFactory residency curator Tereza Havelková noted that Chen's creation, centered on material experimentation, is highly distinctive. His proposal aligns with MeetFactory's curatorial theme this year, which focuses on issues like borders, migration, collective memory, and historical reconstruction, while simultaneously bringing a fresh and unique perspective, injecting new momentum into MeetFactory's artistic space.

A visitor named Nathan told CNA that Chen's work is very interesting, especially the eggshell material he uses, which has an organic quality and requires a lot of manual work. Nathan said, 'What I find very interesting is the connection to the Sudetenland, which is a bit like the relationship between Taiwan and China, a larger entity corresponding to a smaller country, here the Czech-German relationship. There are commonalities between the two, but at the same time, there is also some kind of dangerous possibility.'

Slovak audience member Sona Mikulasova shared that Chen is very creative, exploring flea markets all over Prague to collect materials. From Chen's works, one can see the connection between people, especially the stories of those forced to leave their homes in this historical tragedy.