Transient State
Ｍember:
Hou Han
Chiu Ching-Ting
Chang Chen-Wei
Hsiao Ya-Hsuan
Transient State is a visual arts collective composed of photographers, writers, and performers. The group periodically publishes photography zines and organizes exhibitions and discussions.The members of Transient State met while auditing graduate courses. Unlike regular students, auditors engage selectively, observing while remaining on the periphery. Yet, this detachment stems from curiosity, allowing them to integrate new knowledge with their own practices.
Photography shares a similar nature. Photographers are present in a scene but not directly involved in the actions within the frame. They extract and frame moments while maintaining a certain distance. A war photographer, for instance, chooses to enter a war zone and faces real danger, yet does not participate in combat. Their responsibility lies not in warfare but in capturing and conveying images that transcend time.
This detached engagement also resonates with philosophy, which often reflects on history from an external perspective. If human history were a stadium, political and religious figures would be the players competing on the field, while philosophers—like spectators—observe and analyze the game from the stands. Similarly, visual arts—whether theater, painting, sculpture, film, or video—often embody an “as if” quality, creating immersive yet fictional experiences. Viewers knowingly suspend disbelief, engaging fully in the illusion while recognizing its impermanence.
This paradox of being both inside and outside, believing yet knowing otherwise, fascinates the group. When engaging with artwork, they temporarily accept its reality, allowing their experiences to merge with those of the creator in a fleeting state of shared perception.
Photography shares a similar nature. Photographers are present in a scene but not directly involved in the actions within the frame. They extract and frame moments while maintaining a certain distance. A war photographer, for instance, chooses to enter a war zone and faces real danger, yet does not participate in combat. Their responsibility lies not in warfare but in capturing and conveying images that transcend time.
This detached engagement also resonates with philosophy, which often reflects on history from an external perspective. If human history were a stadium, political and religious figures would be the players competing on the field, while philosophers—like spectators—observe and analyze the game from the stands. Similarly, visual arts—whether theater, painting, sculpture, film, or video—often embody an “as if” quality, creating immersive yet fictional experiences. Viewers knowingly suspend disbelief, engaging fully in the illusion while recognizing its impermanence.
This paradox of being both inside and outside, believing yet knowing otherwise, fascinates the group. When engaging with artwork, they temporarily accept its reality, allowing their experiences to merge with those of the creator in a fleeting state of shared perception.
Ya Hsuan Hsiao