Hyphen's Artspace Gallery is transformed through the creativity of talented Melbourne/ Taiwan artist Yu-Fang Chi as she weaves together textile, object, photography, sound and lighting into a powerful immersive installation, Far Away.
Far Away captures the emotional landscapes of migrant displacement - journeys marked by loss, searching, navigation and the slow, transformative process of rediscovering belonging.
Yu-Fang is a visual artist working across textiles, silversmithing, sculpture and installation. Her practice is grounded in material exploration, drawing on years of experience with metal and fibre to create works that merge solidity with organic tactility.
In this interview Yu-Fang reveals her motivations, inspiration and experiences in bringing to life her latest exhibition at Hyphen Library Gallery.
Could you take me through your ideation and creative process for your work?
This project was inspired by the vast corridors used by migratory birds, known as flyways. Among these, the East Asian-Australasian Flyway is one of the world's great migratory routes. It stretches from Alaska in the north to Australia in the south. My hometown, Taiwan, lies at its midpoint, while Australia forms the end of the journey for many migratory waterbirds.
The rhythm of this migration resonates with my own experience of moving between Taiwan and Australia. Over the past ten years, I have lived and worked in Australia, while often flying back to Taiwan to visit family. For me, there is a constant dialogue between the "motherland" and the "dreamland." This artwork reflects on that journey, exploring the symbolic and emotional connections within migration and inviting the audience to share in these layered experiences.
How do you hope people feel or respond when they see your exhibition?
I hope to create an intimate, immersive experience for the audience.
Far Away is a transdisciplinary installation combining textiles, objects, photographic images, sound and lighting. It invites viewers into a poetic space where the boundaries between memory and reality, dream and past dissolve. The interplay of tactile objects, suspended pieces, projections and lighting encourages audiences to wander freely, fully absorbed in the work.
For this project, I also incorporated Japanese-Australian composer Ai Yamamoto's soundtrack Going Home. Integrating bird sounds, the movement of trees and a gentle musical ambience, the composition adds depth to the atmosphere of calm, contemplation and healing.
How do you utilise a diversity of materials to bring your vision to life?
I have worked with textiles for many years and am drawn to their organic, tactile qualities. When developing this solo exhibition, I returned to those early explorations.
The installation includes twelve large textile works, approximately 400 cm x 120 cm each, and hundreds of cutout bird patterns on mesh. Using semi-transparent fabrics, overlapping images and layered textures, I explore memory, hidden histories and the fluidity of time.
Many of the images are drawn from my own field research. In 2022, I returned to my hometown of Kaohsiung, Taiwan, to revisit a village of government-owned dormitories where my family lived for more than 20 years. Built during the Japanese colonial period, the site has since been reclaimed, leaving the houses abandoned, collapsing or demolished. I photographed and filmed these remnants as a way to reconnect with childhood memories and the layered history of the place.
Through cutting birds, hanging objects and archival images, the installation speaks to themes of displacement, searching and rediscovery of belonging. The suspended forms build on methods I explored in earlier works, but here they are expanded into a vibrant, sonic and immersive environment. Repetition and overlay generate intricate patterns, echoing the persistent gestures of memory.
What does it mean for you to be exhibiting in this space at Hyphen?
This exhibition is a unique and precious opportunity for me to test ideas, experiment with diverse materials and create an immersive, site-specific installation.
Making such work is a time-consuming process; the outcome cannot be fully envisioned until stepping into the space itself. I had carried the idea for this work for years but had not found a suitable venue to bring it to life. For me, Hyphen is an open testing ground, where the concept could finally take form. After months of discussion, planning and collaboration with the Hyphen team, we were able to bring the work together.
I am deeply grateful for the wonderful support I received from the gallery. Without their guidance and generosity, this project would not have been possible.
What is next for you in your creative career?
Through Far Away, I began researching migratory birds along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway. I traced the outlines of five bird species and translated them into cut fabric forms. This initial exploration sparked a deeper interest in migratory birds and the natural ecosystems they inhabit.
I am now consulting with ecologists and biologists to further expand my understanding of this field. Working across disciplines has been inspiring, opening new perspectives and methods for my practice. My upcoming public art project also focuses on migratory birds, and I hope it will allow me to deepen my engagement with these themes and continue evolving my artistic language.
On display until Sunday, November 9 don't miss this opportunity to immerse yourself in this rich sensory interplay of Far Away. Visit Hyphen - Wodonga Library Gallery between 10am and 6pm on weekdays and 10am to 3pm on weekends.
