Chia-Wei Hsu is Winner of the Prestigious Eye Art & Film Prize

Chia-Wei Hsu, winner of the prestigious Eye Art & Film Prize 2024 with one of his film installations. Image: Wye Art

Taiwanese artist and filmmaker Chia-Wei Hsu is the winner of the €30,000 Eye Art & Film Prize, which comes with a joint exhibition.

BY KAZEEM ADELEKE, ARTCENTRON

Taiwanese artist and filmmaker Chia-Wei Hsu has been awarded the 10th Eye Art & Film Prize for 2024. As the winner, Hsu will receive a cash prize of €30,000 and a joint exhibition at the Eye Filmmuseum. This prestigious prize offers the opportunity to develop new work. Hsu is the tenth recipient of this esteemed award.

An international jury, led by Bregtje van der Haak, the director of the Eye Filmmuseum, selected Hsu for this honor. The jury included prominent figures from the art and film world: Nalini Malani (visual artist, India), Chris Dercon (managing director of Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain, Paris), Lemohang Jeremiah Mosese (filmmaker/visual artist, Lesotho/Germany), and Hila Peleg (curator/filmmaker, Israel/Germany).

Chia-Wei Hsu Wins €30,000 Eye Art & Film Prize

Nominations came from international advisory board consisting of notable figures like Andrea Lissoni (Italy/Germany), Apichatpong Weerasethakul (Thailand), Cuauhtémoc Medina (Mexico), Eva Sangiorgi (Italy/Austria), Farah Clémentine Dramani-Issifou (Benin/France), Hoor Al Qasimi (United Arab Emirates), Júlia Rebouças (Brazil), and Rajendra Roy (United States). The chair of the board was Jaap Guldemond, Director of Exhibitions at the Eye Filmmuseum.

Bregtje van der Haak expressed the jury’s admiration, stating they were “captivated by his innovative amalgamation of archaeology and technology. Hsu’s oeuvre transcends conventional forms, meticulously seeking the optimal medium for each new piece.” The jury praised Hsu’s inventive fusion of archaeology and technology and his dedication to finding the perfect form for each new work.

Hsu’s Artistic Exploration

Hsu’s work interrogates the cultural tapestry and geopolitical landscape of Southeast Asia. The jury commended his ability to intertwine grand themes with intimate narratives, resurrecting forgotten histories and offering fresh perspectives. His creations explore the intersection of geopolitical dynamics and local existence in Southeast Asia, both past and present.

In the borderlands between Thailand and Burma, Hsu collaborated with Cold War veterans and local soldiers to produce video installations. The installation probes the region’s historical and mythological layers, as well as the soldiers’ personal experiences. His intricate video installations blend film and contemporary art in unexpected ways, always foregrounding the underlying (digital) technologies. Each new project is akin to an expedition into uncharted territory. They unearth history and revive it through interviews, VR, cinematic techniques, and archeometric methodologies.

About Chia-Wei Hsu

Born in 1983 in Taichung, Taiwan, Chia-Wei Hsu pursued his studies at the School of Plastic Art at the National Taiwan University of Arts. He later went to Le Fresnoy-Studio National des Arts Contemporains in Lille, France to continue his art education. Since graduating in 2016, he has participated in numerous group exhibitions, including the Eye Filmmuseum’s “A Tale of Hidden Histories” in 2019.

He has been in biennials and triennials in Venice, Shanghai, Gwangju, Busan, and Sydney, Melbourne, Aichi. Most recently, his works were in Chiang Rai. His solo exhibitions have graced venues like the Mori Art Museum in Tokyo, Art Basel Hong Kong, the Van Abbemuseum in Eindhoven, and ISCP in New York.

Hsu garnered the Annual Grand Prize at the 15th Taishin Arts Award in 2017 and the Tung Chung Art Award in 2018. He also served as a curator for the 2019 Asian Art Biennial. Some of his notable filmography/installations include “Huai Mo Village” (2012), and “Marshal Tie Jia – Turtle Island” (2012). There is “Ruins of the Intelligence Bureau” (2015).

The Eye Art & Film Prize

The Eye Prize, awarded annually since 2015, honors artists or filmmakers who make significant contributions at the nexus of visual arts and film. The prize includes a €30,000 cash award for the creation of new work. Previous winners include Hito Steyerl (2015), Ben Rivers (2016), Wang Bing (2017), and Francis Alÿs (2018). Other winners are Meriem Bennani (2019), Kahlil Joseph (2020), Karrabing Film Collective (2021), Saodat Ismailova (2022), and Garrett Bradley (2023).

Support for the Eye Art & Film Prize comes from Ammodo, which has been providing assistance since 2023. The Dutch foundation fosters the development of art, architecture, and science by supporting pioneering art projects. It also supports groundbreaking academic research, and initiatives in social and ecological architecture. Additionally, Ammodo produces documentaries to elevate the profiles of trailblazers in these domains.