Healing Space, Soulangh Cultural Park, Taiwan, 2017

5 circular images of diagnostic internal imagery show the 5 body systems included in the Taoist understanding of the body's relationship with the environment. Behind the circles is a light gray shadow of the north wall installation web drawing included in the exhibition. — Announcement card for Healing Space at Soulangh Cultural Park, 2018

There is a saying in the classic Chinese healing arts: Wherever the mind goes, qi will follow.

I came to Taiwan seeking an alternative mindset to the prescriptive approach of Western Medicine. I wished to understand how this culture considers health, illness and wellbeing. What I have observed is a lifestyle that adapts to a differently phrased question– rather than focusing on ‘how to repair what has been broken’, the philosophy of Eastern Medicine offers ways to preserve the inherent balance which exists within and between our bodies and our world.

With emphasis on the 5 Qi elements of Chinese Medicine (Earth, Fire, Water, Metal and Wood) alongside digital diagnostic images of my own corresponding organ systems, I hope to present the beginnings of a culturally integrated approach to wellness– bridging the capacities of modern medical technology with a more innate understanding of environmental balance and vitality.

Tangling through the room, a knotted textile installation manifests in the space between what can be seen and known. Inspired by previous work, (and further illuminated by philosophies of Qi Gong, Tai-Chi, and Traditional Chinese Medicine), this tangled net symbolizes the chaos of our world (inside and out) by which we must learn to adapt and abide.

Harts residency at Soulangh Cultural Park and the resulting exhibition were made possible by a fellowship award from the Taiwanese Cultural Affairs Bureau.