CHINI Gallery ｜B05

▍ Preview
5.13 (Wed.) 13:00-21:00
▍Public Days
5.14-5.15 (Thur.- Fri.) 12:00 - 20:00
5.16 (Sat.) 11:00-20:00
5.17 (Sun.) 11:00-18:00
▍Venue
National Hall, Olympia, London
(Hammersmith Rd, London)

Building on the success of its 2025 debut at Photo London, which garnered widespread acclaim from collectors and institutions alike, Chini Gallery is proud to return in 2026. This year, the gallery presents a solo exhibition by renowned Taiwanese photographer Chou Ching-Hui titled "In the Name of Humanity: Chou Ching-Hui 1995–2024," showcasing four distinct and career-defining series.

Over the past decade, Chou’s work has been a fixture in the international art scene, with invitations to exhibit at major museums, biennials, and galleries worldwide. His portfolio includes prestigious appearances at the Taipei Fine Arts Museum, the Taiwan Biennial, the Guangzhou International Photo Biennale, the Beijing Photo Biennial, and Canada’s Art Souterrain in Montreal, among others.

Beyond the biennial circuit, Chou has held numerous solo exhibitions at prominent international venues, such as La Galerie 1983 (Hong Kong), Chelouche Gallery (Israel), and DECK Photography Art Centre (Singapore). Notable recent highlights include a major solo exhibition of his Animal Farm series at the Museu do Oriente in Lisbon (2022)—organized by the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Spain—and his selection for the 2024 Yebisu International Festival for Art & Alternative Visions at the Tokyo Photographic Art Museum. His unique photographic language and sophisticated aesthetics continue to earn him high-level recognition on the global stage.

In the booming landscape of contemporary art, London has solidified its place alongside Paris and New York as one of the world’s "Big Three" photography markets. Photo London is not only the UK’s premier photography event but also stands as one of the global "Big Four" fairs, alongside Paris Photo, AIPAD (New York), and Unseen Amsterdam.

Held annually in May, the fair is a global magnet for galleries, artists, collectors, and curators. Drawing over 35,000 visitors each year, it has become a definitive focal point for the international market. For Chini Gallery, participating in Photo London provides an essential platform to engage with elite international photography galleries and collectors, serving as a vital bridge to elevate the global visibility of Taiwanese photographic art.

In the Name of Humanity offers a rare opportunity to view Chou Ching-Hui’s artistic trajectory over three decades. While his techniques have continually broken new ground, his lens remains steadfast in its devotion to humanitarian concerns, social justice, and cultural identity.

• Vanishing Leagues—Images of Workers (2002): A poetic black-and-white documentary series capturing the laboring class displaced by industrialization. It serves as a historical record of the irreversible reality where humanity is superseded by its own mechanical inventions.

• Wild Aspirations: Yellow Sheep River Project (2009): Set against the loess walls of remote Gansu, this series visualizes the digital dreams of rural children. Chou employs contemporary techniques to manifest intangible hopes, while highlighting the precarious nature of dreams in marginalized communities.

• Animal Farm (2014): Utilizing a meticulous "staged photography" approach based on original scripts, Chou places human subjects within zoo enclosures among taxidermy animals. The series creates surreal, misplaced tableaus that act as metaphors for the invisible cages of modern social conditioning.

• A Promised Land: The Planet of Angels (2024): Chou’s latest series focuses on children with intellectual disabilities. By reshaping their lived experiences through his lens, he seeks to foster a "Promised Land" of mutual inclusivity and profound understanding.

In the Name of Humanity presents four of Chou Ching-Hui’s most significant series, tracing the artistic lineage of his transition from traditional documentary photography to contemporary staged practices. While his technical approach has continually evolved and broken new ground, his lens remains steadfast in its focus on the human condition. Chou’s work reflects a deep-seated concern for fundamental issues such as cultural identity, human development, and social justice—striving to provoke profound public reflection and inquiry. This commitment to exploring the essence of humanity remains the enduring core of his photographic vision.

Chini Gallery remains dedicated to advancing the international visibility of Taiwanese artists. By presenting this curated solo exhibition at Photo London 2026, the gallery aims to engage local critics, curators, and collectors, fostering new opportunities for institutional collaboration and expanding the global footprint of contemporary Taiwanese photography.