Chien-Chi Chang

Chien-Chi Chang, born in 1961 in Taichung, Taiwan, is an internationally renowned photographic artist. His professional career began in 1991, as a photojournalist for The Seattle Times and The Baltimore Sun in the United States. In 1995, Chang joined Magnum Photos, becoming a full member in 2001 – the first and only Taiwanese member to date. He lives and works in Graz, Austria, Taipei, Taiwan, and New York City.

In his work, Chien-Chi Chang manifests the abstract concepts of alienation and connection. His investigation of the ties that bind one person to another was drawn on his deeply divided immigrant experience, first in the United States and later in Austria. Chang’s work delves deep into social issues and human nature, paying particular attention to immigrants and other marginalized groups. Through his lens, he reveals overlooked realities. For instance, "The Chain" captures full-body portraits of mental health patients at Taiwan's Long Fa Tang Temple, transforming the isolation and gloom of the secluded into symbols of contemporary alienation. His ongoing "Chinatown" series documents Chinese illegal immigrants in American Chinatowns, giving visibility to an invisible community and voice to those defined by hope and loss. The "Escape from North Korea" series captures the perilous journey of North Korean defectors from China to South Korea, exposing human rights crises while highlighting human resilience in the face of oppression.

Chang's talent has been widely recognized with numerous awards, including the W. Eugene Smith Award on Humanistic Photography, the World Press Photo Award, Taiwan's TECO Award and Taipei Cultural Award. His works are extensively collected by renowned international institutions such as the International Center of Photography in New York, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the George Eastman Museum, and the Fondation Henri Cartier-Bresson. In Taiwan, major institutions including the National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts, Taipei Fine Arts Museum, and Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts also house his works.

Chang continually pushes the boundaries of photographic art, exploring new possibilities in visual narratives. His works not only faithfully document contemporary society but have also become critical records in art history, highlighting the crucial role of photography in analyzing social issues. Through his lens, we can gain a deeper understanding of the complexities of human nature and the multifaceted aspects of society, prompting us to reflect on our relationship with the world.