Ed Pien: Luminous Shadows

Ed Pien: Luminous Shadows presents the work of Toronto-based artist Ed Pien, known for his drawing-based installations that immerse the viewer in a surreal, unique experience. The book is lavishly produced, and illustrated throughout with two screenprinted 16-page signatures on bespoke paper with Pien’s latest drawings and stunning installation photographs. The book focuses on the eponymous exhibition curated by Catherine Elliot Shaw and presented at McIntosh Gallery in late 2015 that featured his two latest large-scale installations: Imaginary Dwelling, consisting of a makeshift townscape inside a tent with projected videos, mirrors and shadows; and Spectral Drawings, depicting ghostly figures rendered in white ink that float on walls with differing black gradations.

The drawing-based installations explore ideas of fantasy and vision as shadows are illuminated on dark walls covered with his drawings. These shadows and projections create the illusion of ghostly silhouettes and figures presented within the installation space. Pien’s drawings are assembled as composite images of mysterious monster-human characters. The viewer has a sensual, emotional experience while interacting with the dream-like environments that balance haunting beauty, play and a sense of uneasiness. Pien’s work draws upon different influences including Asian ghost stories, myths and legends, hell scrolls, calligraphy, Inuit art and the work of artists such as Francisco Goya. Ed Pien: Luminous Shadows captures the magical, surreal qualities of Pien’s work with critical illustrated texts by Catherine de Zegher and Angela Kingston, further exploring Pien’s artistic practice while providing fascinating insight into his work and a contextual understanding of his wider practice.

Ed Pien was born in Taipei, Taiwan, and immigrated to Canada at the age of 11. He received a BFA from The University of Western Ontario in 1982 and an MFA from York University in 1984. Pien’s work has been exhibited at the Drawing Center, New York; Biennale of Sydney, Australia; Goethe Institute, Berlin; Contemporary Art Gallery, Vancouver; the National Gallery of Canada; and McIntosh Gallery, London, Ontario, Canada. He also currently teaches at the University of Toronto.