It has become a habit for me to declutter as the seasons change, striving to keep only those things that may be useful in the future or have value for transfer. In my journey of embracing the art of decluttering, I’ve come to understand that decluttering is a gradual practice of letting go, and what surprises me is that the seemingly useless old letters and notes are still tucked away in the drawer; and the innocent emotions that carried with them can never be replicated.
Movana Chen was born in Chaozhou and relocated to Shenzhen with her family at the age of 10. In 1991, she moved to Hong Kong, and then later on in 1995, traveled to Singapore with her siblings for further studies. In 1997, she pursued fashion design in London; however, due to the economic downturn, she had to return to Hong Kong after a year to support her father’s business. For the next seven years, she worked as an accountant at her father’s company. It was in 2003 that she formally pursued art.
During those years, staying connected with family and friends who were far away relied heavily on long-distance phone calls. However, due to the high costs involved, she resorted to writing letters. Although initially inexperienced in expressing herself through written words, it gradually became a habit for her.
One day, as she shredded confidential documents during the closure of her father’s trading company, a thought sparked within her: “What if I create something with shredded paper?”
Between 1989 and 2023, Movana shredded items like plane tickets from her ex-boyfriend and letters from friends and family and then wove them together, transforming them into art pieces that hold both significance and warmth. These artworks were exhibited at Flowers Gallery. As she flips through her portfolio, she recalls how her grandmother had passed down the tradition of knitting.
She has embarked on journeys to more than 20 cities, including Milan, Paris, Seoul, Philadelphia, Michigan, Sicily, Melbourne, Hanover, Berlin, and many others. During her travels, she would collect stories and knit. Sometimes, she wears her knitted sculpture, the “Body Container” and interacts with the local spaces and people.
Installation view of Knitting Conversations, participants performed at the opening at KNITerature, ArtisTree, Hong Kong. 2013. photo by Wai Lok Cheung
Movana currently resides in Lisbon, Portugal. This time as she returns to Hong Kong, one of her previous homes, and seeks solace within the embrace of her Body Container, she contemplates, “Home is always here, but the people are not.” Her siblings and friends have scattered across different parts of the world, leaving her with a deep sense of loneliness and sadness. Yet, as she wears the memories of the people she has encountered, the deepest connections are formed, intertwining vulnerabilities and transforming them into a wellspring of strength.
In 2004, she pursued a Fine Arts degree at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology she has been embracing the art form of KNITerature as a medium for storytelling. She deconstructs the books, maps, and dictionaries she has collected over the years, knitting them together to create new and profound meanings. She tears and repurposes printed materials in various languages, breathing new life into them through sculptural installation, which in a way, is itself a new form of language.
“Time is surreal, not existing. My art is my life,” Movana says. She pays little attention to time during her creative process. Even during a 68-hour journey from Siberia to Russia in -25 degree temperatures, she remained unfazed, knitting in the train carriage. Occasionally, she invited fellow passengers to join her. She recalls when several dozen Russian soldiers, returning home, entered the carriage. Initially apprehensive, they eventually connected and bonded. Together, they played with the Body Container, knitting and chatting.
Movana isn’t a fan of social media platforms. She finds it somewhat disconnected when people continue to share moments of joy amidst a chaotic world. She prefers genuine personal interactions, and therefore, whenever she travels for work, she chooses to stay with local people. The more beautiful people and stories she comes across along her journey, the more she ponders why wars exist in the first place.
Questioning the Line #09 (still), 2023, video, 3 min. performed by Movana Chen and Francisco Borges. Cinematography by Tyler Weinberger
最近她和另一位葡萄牙藝術家Francisco Borges，以Questioning the Line為題，以兩個Body Container之間象徵疫情時的2米隔離，來質疑誰能決定人與人之間的距離。「當時我被困在工作室裡，於是我便請海外的朋友寄給我他們的舊旅行地圖。」Movana說，地圖中充滿了個人化的旅行故事和記憶，同時也讓她思考是誰來決定國界在哪裡的？
In a recent collaboration, Movana joined forces with Portuguese artist Francisco Borges for a project called “Questioning the Line.” They positioned two Body Containers apart, symbolizing the mandated two-meter distance during the pandemic, raising questions about who holds the authority to determine the physical space between individuals. “At that time, I was trapped in the studio, so I asked my friends overseas to send me their old travel maps.” These maps, filled with personal stories and memories, raised another question: Who decides where national borders are drawn?
The maps were torn apart, borders destroyed, and yet, the footsteps and stories of people were woven together, symbolizing that we are now living in a world without boundaries. Movana hopes that through her artwork conveys the message that everyone is connected in a certain way and the longing for a place called home is universal. “Home should not be exclusive to certain people,” she says.
“As long as I have my shredder with me, I can go anywhere. There are many things beyond our control, but at least in my creations, I want to bring hope to people.”
1st Dress, “iD magazine Dress”, knitted by one 60-page iD magazine, 2004
Words of Heartbeats at Flower Gallery until 11 May 2024
