We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Sirun Chen. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with sirun below.

Alright, Sirun thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

For me, there is no single most meaningful project. I simply focus my attention on life, on the details of everyday living, discovering along the way. I suppose I could call myself a reader of symbols or a storyteller.

Right now, the project that suddenly comes to mind is one I’ve been working on continuously from last year, 2024, until this year. It is actually related to craft, feminine energy, and creativity.

This work comes from an art residency project which I collaborated on with the Tiqew weavers in Gedung Ratu, Lampung, Indonesia.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

My work responds to the interconnectedness of things. I study the language of objects not to use just human language but to allow objects to communicate in their own terms. I am interested in presenting a dialogue between body and the environment, through collecting and the poetic deconstruction of sensory symbols – including colour, smell, sound and patterns of everyday materials. I explore my relationships with these materials through techniques in craft, such as natural dyes, waving and ceramics. As a whole, I consider my practice as a dynamic long-term ceremony; materials experienced as direct extensions of my body.

My fifteen years of interest in mysticism and shamanism stem from two aspects: first, my unconscious choices, and second, my first MA research topic in prehistoric art history. This experience of studying Ecology and Art at Goldsmiths. further clarified several key directions in my research: indigenous cultures, crafts, healing, and semiotics.

My work is not client-based. I haven’t even set specific or practical goals for my creative work. Most of the time, I act as an observer and practitioner—reading the traces and symbols of nature, observing traditional indigenous methodologies, and exploring their impact on our lives.

If I were to assign a practical function to my creative work, I believe its potential function would be healing. This is because, through this work, I discover and heal myself. It is deeply connected to the body and to action. This approach is not just about delivering a specific project; rather, it can be presented as a healing project in itself.

Specifically, it involves bodily movement, subtle healing, sensitivity to colors, and the impact of sound and frequencies on the body.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

I believe it’s essential to have a clear sense of identity—knowing who you are and what you can do. This entire process should be smooth and natural, rather than placing oneself under society’s value standards.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

I’m willing to say that it really depends on whether the cases I encounter are compelling enough to evoke my empathy.

For example, in the projects I previously mentioned in Indonesia, I actually completed three practical pieces within a month. Working with the local residents, and the team allowed me to achieve so much in such a short time because of the region’s rich cultural background—it continuously sparked my creativity.

When I find myself in such environments, I feel that my work ability is truly alive.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://sirunchen.com/
• Instagram: chen_sirun
• Facebook: Chen Sirun