13/03/2009 - 05/04/2009 joint exhibition
SHIAU-PENG CHEN
I DON'T BELONG HERE BUT THERE II
Curator's note:
Melbourne based Shiau-Peng Chen addresses issues of Taiwanese cultural identity and
displacement with I Don’t Belong Here but There II at Immersion Therapy.
Shiau-Peng’s trademark abstract and geometric work is fuelled by a keen sense of spatial awareness and a sensitivity to geographic and social placement. Drawing from her ongoing
China Series, I Don’t Belong Here but There II presents a unique reflection on the socio-political tensions that currently exist between Taiwan and China.
In the ambitious I Don’t Belong Here but There series, Shiau-Peng uses the map of China as the spring point from which she creates an abstract, temporal sequence marked by evolving color and spatial arrangements that are designed to symbolize the shifting political landscape of North East Asia; particularly the complicated relations between mainland China, Taiwan and Hong Kong.
Shiau-Peng Chen’s practice is based in painting, text work and installation. She continues to indulge her guilty habit of education, currently undertaking a PhD at RMIT after previous studies at the Pratt Institute in New York and at TNUA in Taipei. In addition to a wide range of previous exhibitions, she previously participated in the GroupTherapy show at Immersion Therapy in 2008.

13/02/2009 - 05/04/2009 joint exhibition
MENG-SHU YOU
MELTING DOWN
Curator's note:
Meng-shu You, currently a PhD candidate at the University of Sydney draws from her experiences of being based in Taiwan, the US and Australia in transforming the main space at Immersion Therapy into a mini retail precinct.
Making comment on the continual rise of Western Culture at the expense of traditional cultures, Meng-shu’s sculptural works create an economical and social smorgasbord of confused values as a direct response to the incessant commoditization of culture being experienced in Taiwan and beyond.
Adopting an approach of mass production in the face of mass consumption, Meng-shu’s work uses a combination of mixed media to accentuate her ceramic work. In Melting Down, media as disparate as wax, concrete, wood, as well as clay, are transformed through her use of molds and casts which are then replicated at volume.
The sacred and the profane are brought together, mirroring our new world economy, where religious and traditional motifs hold no more value those of commercial powerhouses such as Nike, Coke and the Disney brand. In the quest to merge art and commerce, traditional Taiwanese motifs and values are absorbed and recast, their initial significance forever lost in the influence of the global market and the quest for marketability.
Meng-Shu has previously exhibited in the US, Taiwan, China, South Korea, Germany and in Sydney at the Armory Gallery, 4A and Sydney Design 2006. Melting Down marks her Melbourne debut.
Immersion Therapy hosted a special event to coincide with Earth Day 2009 in which the exhibition was lit only by candle light, in keeping with Meng-Shu's wax works and the Earth Day philosophy.

13/02/2009 - 08/03/2009 joint exhibition
JULIA CHIU
KARST
Curated by Julia Johnston
Exploring her Hong Kong Chinese and Dutch-Indonesian heritage with Karst, Julia Chiu’s
installation of a panoramic, abstract ink work and photographic self portrait constructs a
playful narrative whilst illuminating the dualities and ambiguities of cross cultural identity in
modern Australia.
Julia’s practice spans installation, sculpture, photography as well as musical and
collaborative projects. Whilst her work is constantly evolving, it is underpinned by the
enjoyment of and incorporation of different media and the unexpected modes of production.
Her inspiration for Karst can be traced back to the traditional karst landscape depictions
popular with Chinese masters, and also bears the influence of contemporary artists Cai Guo-giang and Song Dong whose conceptual works often incorporate unconventional media.
Having graduated from Queensland University of Technology with a Bachelor of Fine Arts
(Visual Arts), Julia was later awarded First Class Honours in Sculpture at RMIT. Currently
completing her Masters, Julia has exhibited nationally, with recent shows at Boxcopy
Contemporary Arts Space in Brisbane and TCB art Inc in Melbourne. A Finalist in the 2007
RMIT Siemens Fine Art Scholarship Awards, Julia combines her artistic practice with work in
arts administration and curatorial projects.
Karst has been guest curated by Melbourne based curator Julia Johnston.