10 Questions with Pei-Yao Chang

Pei-Yao Chang is a Taiwan-born media artist and researcher currently working between London and Taiwan. She completed an Artist-in-Residence program at the Zhengbin Harbour Museum of Art in Keelung, Taiwan, in April 2024. With a growing exhibition portfolio, her recent works have been showcased at venues including the Outhouse Gallery (London) and Southwark Park Galleries (London). In addition to her artistic practice, Pei-Yao served as a guest lecturer at the Royal College of Art in 2023 and has participated in various group exhibitions, such as those at the Post Office Projects Gallery in Port Adelaide, Australia, and the Fringe Arts Bath Festival in Bath, UK. She holds an MA in Information Experience Design from the Royal College of Art (2022) and participated in the Experimental Drawing summer program at the Slade School of Fine Art (2024).

peiyaochang.com | @peiyaoc_

ARTIST STATEMENT

Pei-Yao Chang is a media artist, researcher, and novice freediver currently based in London and Taiwan. Her practice explores space(s) and the implications of embodied experiences, drawing from both the gravitational pull of the land and the weightless journey of freediving. Fascinated by sensation, movement, and perception, she investigates the concept of embodied cognition.

Her work engages with specific spatial contexts and material exploration, incorporating drawing, painting, lens-based media, and installation to examine how humans actively and passively perceive and interact with their surroundings. She seeks to understand the Earth's characteristics and the connections between human and non-human interactions.

Recently, Pei-Yao has focused on studying the profound and awe-inspiring moments that arise from the encounter between consciousness, landscapes, and seascapes, using drawing, painting, and lens-based media to capture these experiences.

INTERVIEW

Let's start from the basics. Who are you, and how did you first become interested in art? 

I'm a media artist, researcher, and novice freediver, currently splitting my time between  London and Taiwan. My work explores space(s)—both through the gravity of the Earth and the weightlessness of being underwater—and how we experience them. I'm interested  in sensation, movement, and perception, and I delve into the concept of embodied cognition. 
In my practice, I work with various materials and spatial contexts, using drawing,  painting, lens-based media, and installation to explore how humans interact with and perceive their surroundings—sometimes actively, sometimes passively. 
For me, art takes on many forms, and the way we experience it is one of the most crucial aspects of that process. I've been inspired by the Earth's unique characteristics and by how humans and non-humans connect with each other. It's also an incredible privilege to have  the opportunity to convey moments of awe and wonder—those that arise from the intersection of consciousness, landscapes, and seascapes—through my work. 

How has your academic journey shaped the evolution of your artistic practice? 

Studying in the UK was challenging, especially as it coincided with the pandemic, but I  also considered it a privilege. The experience forced me to approach my work and studies differently, shifting from physical creation to more virtual methods. This change significantly impacted how I conceptualize and present my art, as well as how I engage with my audience. I became more reliant on technology—using my laptop and various software—rather than traditional, hands-on processes. 
This shift led me to question whether these digital tools had become part of my artistic language. Did they resonate with my work? Did they influence my confidence in the creative process? Ultimately, while the medium transition was unexpected, it wasn't a negative experience. It reflected the broader circumstances and challenges of the time, and became an integral part of my artistic journey. 
Additionally, being surrounded by talented artists, designers, and practitioners created a  dynamic platform where I couldexplore and experiment with different methods and  ideas. Conversations and critiques, whether in the studio or at symposiums, often opened  up new perspectives and possibilities for my work, enriching my practice in ways I hadn't  anticipated.

Growing up in Taiwan and now working between London and Taiwan, how have your cultural and geographic roots influenced your perspective as an artist and researcher? 

Growing up in Taichung City, Taiwan, and now working between Taiwan and London, my cultural and geographic roots have profoundly shaped both my artistic practice and my research. Taiwan, an island surrounded by water and mountains, has deeply influenced my relationship with space(s) and embodied experiences. As a novice freediver, the sensation of weightlessness underwater has become integral to my understanding of embodied cognition. Additionally, the exploration of human interaction with both urban and natural environments, particularly from land, is also a central theme woven throughout my work. 
Living and working in London has further broadened my perspective. The urban environment and cultural landscape here have introduced new layers of complexity to my research. The contrast between Taiwan and the UK has encouraged me to explore the intersections of nature and urbanization—particularly how humans interact with and perceive both the natural world and the built environment. This duality influences much of my work, where I examine the boundaries between the organic and the constructed, as well as the embodied experiences that arise within these spaces. 

As you mention in your statement, your practice bridges art, research, spaces, and embodied experiences. Can you describe how these disciplines and themes influence one another in your work? 

My practice is deeply rooted in the intersection of art, research, and embodied experiences,  and these disciplines continuously inform and shape one another. For me, art is not merely about creating objects but about exploring and understanding space, sensation, and perception in relation to the body and the environment. 

"I am interested in space—and the movement of people and objects within space. There is a certain magic to it. It is as if you are inventing an order of things. I believe there is a  secret relationship between space, objects, and perceptible and imperceptible movements."
—Isamu Noguchi
("From Lamps to Playgrounds, Isamu Noguchi Believed Sculpture Should Be Omnipresent", Itsnicethat.Com, 2021)

Space plays a crucial role in both my creative process and the evolution of my work. The choice of space profoundly influences how I conceptualize and develop my practice. It's  not just about the physical dimensions or context of a space but also the relationships it fosters between the artwork, its surroundings, and the people who experience it. Space is not a passive backdrop; it is an active participant that shapes the meaning and experience of the work.
While I appreciated my journey in virtual creation during the pandemic, I became increasingly drawn to creating physical works—such as sculptures and installations—once the pandemic eased in the UK. The significance of space is exemplified in my inflatable sculpture Tree Guard (2021), an experimental and temporary piece that documented the interaction between humans, non-humans (such as dogs and wind), and the urban environment. Created for a specific green space in London, this work explored how the space itself shapes the experience of the artwork. How do residents or dogs respond when they encounter a large air-filled artefact in their path? Does it become a barrier, or does it help "guard" trees in order for them to "survive" in the city? In this way, space becomes an active, dynamic force that shapes the meaning and experience of the artwork.  Additionally, this piece served as a "preface" to my project A Reconciliation (2021–2022). 

"Law is always spatially grounded, embodied, materially present. Law, as an abstract universal free from the constraints of matter, bodies, and space, is one of the illusions that law itself (and some strands of legal theory) insist on maintaining.Law as control is by  necessity material (meaning spatiotemporal and corporeal), for it is only through its very  own emplaced body that the law can exert its force." 
—Andreas Philippopoulos-Mihalopoulos
("Welcome to the lawscape", in Spatial Justice (Routledge, 2014)

A Reconciliation is an artistic research project that examines the boundaries and tensions between human and non-human relationships within a legal context. Presented as a multimedia installation, it includes an archive of legal cases, digital prints, and an analog memory box composed of a trio of artefacts: [2016] UKUT 300 (LC), A Figure, Figures, and  A Tree, A Stone, A Cloud. The project invites audiences to navigate through space, time, and legal procedures. The choice of space is essential here—it is not merely a backdrop but an active component that guides the audience's journey, allowing them to reimagine Tree  Preservation Order (TPO) regulations from the perspective of urban trees in the UK. The space facilitates intimate connections with the trees, creating a dialogue between the legal and the emotional. 
My interest in embodied cognition emerges from the understanding that our bodies are not separate from the spaces we inhabit. Instead, they are in constant interaction, shaping both our artistic expressions and our research inquiries. This relationship between body,  space, and perception is the driving force behind my work, offering a nuanced exploration of the self, the environment, and the spaces we create and inhabit. 

You also work across different media, incorporating drawing, painting, lens-based media, and installation in your practice. How do you determine the best medium to express a particular concept or experience? 

The decision of which medium to use is influenced by the essence of the experience I wish to convey, as well as the context in which the work will be presented. The choice is rarely straightforward; it often emerges from an interplay between the space, the sensory experience, and the conceptual layers I want to explore. This process, shaped by my ongoing research into embodied cognition, allows me to engage with space, perception,  and time in multifaceted ways, whether through drawing, lens-based media, painting, or installation. 
When beginning a project or research, the first stage often involves drawing and photography (lens-based media) as my primary methods. From there, I assess whether these visual elements lead me to explore further concepts or resonate with my work. For example, in April 2024, I participated in a one-month Artist-in-Residency at Space Moor  Gallery (Zhengbin Harbour Museum of Art) in Keelung, Taiwan. This residency had a profound impact on my practice, allowing me to immerse myself in the rhythm of  Keelung, trace its maritime history, and explore the local environment. 
During my time in Keelung, I worked with various mediums, including lens-based media,  charcoal, and watercolor, to document my experiences. One of the main outcomes of this  residency was a series of works titled Shimmering in Your Sphere (2024)—created using  charcoal and charcoal pencils on paper—which was inspired by the changing light and  shadows on the sea's surface at Zhengbin Fishing Port. 
In the research phase, Shimmering in Your Sphere (Studies) 01-02 (2024), a series of digital prints on tracing paper, includes two photographs (lens-based media) capturing moments of reflection. This work is not only part of the process but also a body of work in itself,  existing alongside the main concept. 
Additionally, the concept I experienced during the residency—shimmering waves akin to the twinkling of stars in the celestial bodies—may potentially evolve into a multimedia or installation piece in the future.

How did your experience as a freediver shape your understanding of "embodied cognition," and how does it manifest in your art? 

Mia Peery and Carmen L. Medina argue that, from a phenomenological perspective, every experience is consideredembodied. The body, as a whole, is part of the conscious self,  influencing both perception and experience. It involves an acknowledgement of our bodies as whole, experiential beings in motion—both inscribed and inscribing subjectivity. The  experiential body is both a representation of the self (a "text") and a mode of creation in progress (a "tool"). (Mia Perry and Carmen Liliana Medina, Methodologies Of Embodiment: Inscribing Bodies In Qualitative Research (New York: Routledge, 2015), pp. 1-13.)
I encountered this concept through phenomenology, a philosophical approach that focuses on human experience and consciousness. I seek to understand it through both my artistic and freediving practice. Freediving offers an intimate, physical encounter with water,  immersing the body in an environment where weightlessness and movement blur the boundaries between self and space. The sensation of floating, combined with the stillness  of the underwater world, creates a powerful shift in how I experience and understand my body's interaction with its surroundings. 

"Weightlessness forces [us] to build a new territory, the territory of the inner body,  which has a whole geography, with landscapes and paths." 
— Annick Bureaud, Kitsou Dubois and the Weightless Body (2009) 

Freediving immerses me in an underwater space where the interaction between water and  the mind-body generates a new sense of embodiment—a feeling of weightlessness while traveling through an uncanny space and time. The three-minute video One Breath (2021)  responds to one of my freediving practices. The piece uses the metaphor of the vast underwater space and outer space to explore the limits of human existence. The video's three-minute duration mirrors my personalrecord for holding my breath, while the juxtaposition of underwater and outer space imagery expresses the uncanny,  transformative nature of these spaces. Through this work, I aim to capture not only the physical act of freediving but alsothe sensory and cognitive shifts that occur when the body is submerged in unfamiliar realms. 

Poem from One Breath (2021): 
From the deepest ocean to cosmic space, 
It starts with darkness and ends with darkness. 
The darkness is a transformation of blue, 
A blue like the ocean or the sky, 
A blue like the limit— 
The limit of humanity.

My ongoing exploration of space—both internal and external—through freediving informs my larger artistic practice. It has led me to question how humans, as embodied beings,  perceive and relate to the world around them. Works like Space Exploration (2021) and  Temporality (2021) dive deeper into this theme by exploring the tension between time,  space, and consciousness. Freediving has become a gateway for me to engage with the concept of embodied cognition, using the body's movement and sensation to create a more profound understanding of how we experience and interpret the world. 

Your artist statement mentions "the gravitational pull of the land" and "the weightless journey of freediving." How do these contrasting forces interplay in your creative process? 

The gravitational pull of the land and the weightless journey of freediving are not just opposing forces, but complementary ones that inform each other within my practice. The weight of the land anchors my work in the material and physical world, while the sensation of weightlessness invites exploration beyond the body's usual constraints,  pushing me to reconsider space, perception, and existence in new ways. These contrasting forces converge in my artistic process, allowing me to experiment with different materials,  concepts, and environments to explore the complex relationship between body, space, and sensation. 
The interplay between these forces is also reflected in my exploration of embodied cognition—the study of how physical sensations shape thought and perception. When I  dive into the water, I am confronted with the limits of my body and mind, experiencing a heightened awareness of my own existence. This transition between gravity and weightlessness directly informs my approach to art, where the body and the space it occupies are inseparable. Whether in drawing or installation, I seek to capture these shifting states—both grounded and weightless—through the manipulation of materials and space.

Your recent works have been exhibited at various venues across different continents.  How do the exhibition spaces and cultural contexts influence the way you present your pieces?  

It's difficult to choose the most significant exhibition, as each experience has been unique and impactful in its own way. However, the duo exhibition Resonance, Unending at Space  Moor Gallery (Keelung, Taiwan) and the group exhibition at the Outhouse Gallery  (London, UK) in 2024 were particularly significant for my professional growth. Bot provided valuable connections to local communities, opportunities for interaction with local artists, practitioners, and curators, and the chance to conduct field research.  These experiences deepened my practice and allowed me to engage more meaningfully with the sites and communities I worked with. 
The duo exhibition Resonance, Unending at Space Moor Gallery drew on the aesthetic concept of the Sublime, using it as the curatorial axis. The exhibition invited an exploration of these ideas through various mediums and techniques. By weaving together the works of two artists, it examined the collision and tension between individual consciousnesses as we deconstructed and expressed our shared experiences through our respective artistic practices. My contributions included a new series of research-based artworks created during the residency, Shimmering in Your Sphere, as well as the oil paintings Seascape III-V (Margate) and a one-minute looped video titled Margate, 22FEB23,  which presents another facet of the oceanic experience in collaboration with another artist.  This "conversation" between two individuals created a platform for the audience to experience our collective exploration of the Sublime. 
The Outhouse Gallery, an artist-run experimental space housed in a former public toilet in  Brunswick Park, Camberwell, UK, provided a unique platform for local artists and audiences — including residents, dogs, and perhaps even the trees in the park. My work Space Exploration No. 02 (2021) was included in the unconventional group exhibition  Boundaries, curated by Siyan Zhang. This exhibition explored the concept of boundaries,  particularly the demarcation between private and public spaces. My work resonated with this theme, as it examines how humans investigate and perceive space through lenses. The gallery itself — located in a public park — provided an unconventional context that enriched this exploration.

As a guest lecturer at the Royal College of Art, what insights or perspectives did you  aim to share with emerging artists, and what did you learn that later influenced your practice? 

I was extremely privileged to be invited as a guest lecturer at the Royal College of Art in  February 2023. The lecture focused on sharing my creative journey, my research process during my studies, and how I have continued my practice since graduating. It was a unique experience, as I was not only able to present the progress of my research project but also incorporate one of my research methods—creating sculptures and installations to investigate and navigate space(s)—into the workshop. 
What stood out to me most during the workshop was the incredible level of creativity and  engagement from the students. Their work and enthusiasm inspired me and reminded me  of the importance of "embracing uncertainty and trusting the process" in my own practice. 
The creation journey is not always linear or predictable. Sometimes, it's essential to allow space for failure and challenges. Although these moments can feel uncomfortable or discouraging, getting lost and questioning your path can often lead to breakthroughs.  These experiences help you discover new directions in your work and deepen your understanding of both your art and yourself. 

Lastly, what future projects or themes are you excited to explore, and how do you envision your work evolving over the next few years? 

"The sublime is not an ontology but a phenomenology, not a special essence of certain  things but rather an experience of a particular kind, born out of the encounter between  consciousness and the world."
— Steven Z. Levine, Seascapes of the Sublime: Vernet, Monet, and the Oceanic Feeling (1985) 

My recent projects have focused on the interaction between consciousness, landscapes,  and seascapes. This process does not follow a linear timeline but rather unfolds as a manifold, moving through the past, present, and future, continuously manifesting through space and interweaving with my artistic practice.
In 2023, I visited Margate, a coastal town in the UK, with a friend who is also a visual artist from Taiwan. Margate's coastline has inspired countless artists to translate sensory experiences into their work. While waiting for a low tide to view Antony Gormley's statue  Another Time, I experienced a powerful sense of awe and frustration — a sublime encounter. This moment, embodying humanity's awareness of its own insignificance in the face of vast natural phenomena, became the foundation for my ongoing research project,  The Sublime, After All. This body of work includes a series of oil paintings created in response to these oceanic emotions. 
In 2024, I participated in an artist residency at Space Moor Gallery in Keelung, Taiwan.  Surrounded by both the sea and mountains, I created a series of research-based artworks,  charcoal on paper and digital print on tracing paper, titled Shimmering in Your Sphere. The  residency, and its profound environment, reinforced my practice to exploring the sublime  in relation to nature, time, and consciousness. 

"In this realm of waves and whispers, where the port meets the sea, I, adrift, aim to capture the gleam upon the water. Among these reflections, I explore the essence of light as it shimmers like stars in the night sky, mirroring the vastness of planets in their orbits.  The shimmering waves, under clear skies and rainy days alike, resemble the twinkling of  celestial bodies, as if traversing another time and space, gently descending beneath this  starry sky." 
— A reflection for the AiR at Space Moor Gallery, Keelung City, Taiwan, 2024 

I envision my work evolving to more deeply investigate the intersection of sensory perception and the sublime, with an emphasis on how these moments of awe and insignificance shape both individual and collective experiences. The interplay of land, sea,  and sky will remain a central theme as I seek to further understand how these elements influence our perception of space, time, and our existence within them. 

Artist’s Talk

Al-Tiba9 Interviews is a promotional platform for artists to articulate their vision and engage them with our diverse readership through a published art dialogue. The artists are interviewed by Mohamed Benhadj, the founder & curator of Al-Tiba9, to highlight their artistic careers and introduce them to the international contemporary art scene across our vast network of museums, galleries, art professionals, art dealers, collectors, and art lovers across the globe.