Taiwan / Duration 14m 24s / 2012

In Dubbing Project, Cheng invited people with different native languages to watch 30 seconds to a minute clips extracted from Taiwanese movies. Without the help of English subtitles, the artist asked them to imagine conversations and then dub the films in their own language. By doing this, Cheng intends to explore what messages are sent and received when a spoken language cannot be understood, finding out how the language barrier re-codes and converts the content.

The project includes two parts: the first experiment is the process mentioned above, examining how the messages are distorted by the unfamiliar language. The second part is to reveal the hidden connotations of each language and to investigate how language influences the way we see the world. By showing these dubbed films to audiences, she intends to find out how languages change the atmosphere of one single film.

As a Taiwanese artist living in Europe, Ting-Ting Cheng is interested in the fluctuating identities and the sensitive relationship / interaction between foreignness and locality, examining our reactions to different cultures. In her video, photography and installations, she applies language as the symbol of culture and identity, investigating the transformation of messages in communication.

Cheng graduated from MA Photographic Studies at University of Westminster, London. Her works have been exhibited internationally, including solo shows at Taipei Fine Art Museum, Addaya Art Centre (Mallorca) and Kiállítás Előtt Galéria (Budapest), as well as group shows, such as III Moscow International Biennale for Young Art, London Art Fair, Foto Madrid, Nord Art (Germany), Tokyo Frontline, ISE Cultural Foundation (New York). Recently, She was selected for one of the artists in 40 under 40 by Perspective magazine in Hong Kong as well as Taipei Art Award. Her works are in the collection of Taipei Fine Art Museum, Addaya Art Centre and private collectors worldwide.

www.chengtingting.com