Artist Statement
Self-identified as Post-contemporary, our art practice centers on contemplative inquiry, interconnectedness, and transcendence.
Influenced by Eastern philosophies and rooted in ongoing inner work, we have a deep interest in nourishing the human psyche to cultivate compassion at a collective level.
Our projects attempt to initiate transformative processes, inviting self-exploration and interconnected understanding.
About
Mizzonk is the collective name of the artist duo Wan-Yi Lin and Roger Chen, both Taiwanese Canadian and graduates of the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York.
Based in BC, Canada, with combined training in Fine Art and Architecture, Lin and Chen have collaborated for over two decades. Their studio focused on design in earlier years and shifted to fine art in recent years.
Mizzonk has received several awards, including the Accent on Design Award, a design industry award held in New York City, and the TID Award of Space Installation Art held in Taipei, Taiwan. Mizzonk’s desktop works were carried by museum stores, including the Winnipeg Art Gallery and the Museum of Arts and Design in NYC. Recent projects by Mizzonk include a one-year-long participatory art project in Maple Ridge, BC, the Outdoor Sculpture Exhibition in La Conner, WA, the TID Award Exhibition in Taipei, Taiwan, a solo installation at the Center on Contemporary Art in Seattle, WA, an ongoing billboard art project and a participatory public art project in Pingtung, Taiwan, a public art installation presented by Artscapes in Tacoma, WA, an ephemeral installation outside of the Seattle Center, an exhibition presented by the Dimension Endowment of Art in the 2019 Edition of Art Taipei in Taipei, Taiwan, and a two-channel video installation presented by the Richmond Art Gallery in BC, Canada.
People
Wan-Yi Lin
Wan-Yi Lin, the co-founder of Mizzonk, received her Master of Fine Arts in Sculpture from the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York. Wan-Yi works with clay, paper, sand, and found objects. She loves to be in her garden, stroll in nature and is fascinated by the intangible.
Roger Chen
Roger Chen, the co-founder of Mizzonk, received his Bachelor of Architecture from the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York. Since his degree, Roger’s intense curiosity has led him to pursue a path of independent and dedicated study, which has resulted in the accumulation of extensive knowledge and hands-on experience in creating small to large-scale work. He is skilled in design, problem-solving and working with a wide range of materials. He loves gardening, cooking, fishing, photography and collecting old and beautiful things.
Artist Talks
In the following two Artist Talks, we share our history, a few examples of our works in design and art, and our life on Six Acres.
Mizzonk Artist Talk in English on Jan. 29, 2022, moderated by Nan Capogna, Curator of the Richmond Art Gallery, hosted by the Richmond Art Gallery, BC in Canada.
Mizzonk Artist Talk in Mandarin on Feb. 5, 2022, moderated by Henry Heng Lu, Executive Director of the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden, hosted by the Richmond Art Gallery, BC in Canada.
Panel Discussion
Nourish Through Nature on March 26, 2022, joined by Dr. Heesoon Bai and Dr. Denise Findlay, moderated by Nan Capogna, Curator of the Richmond Art Gallery, hosted by the Richmond Art Gallery, BC in Canada.