Midpoint: Au Sow Yee

Sino-Malaysian artist in Taiwan

Midpoint is a monthly series that invites established Southeast Asian contemporary artists to take stock of their career thus far, reflect upon generational shifts and consider the advantages and challenges of working in the present day.

Au Sow Yee. Image courtesy of Taishin Bank Foundation for Arts and Culture, photo by Lu Guo-Way.

Au Sow Yee (b. 1978, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia) works across video installations and theatrical performances, exploring how image-making is entangled with history and geopolitics. Drawing from folklore, cinema, popular culture and archival sources, her projects question how images and stories are distorted by colonial and Cold War ideologies. She has exhibited at major institutions such as Sharjah Biennial (2023), Busan Biennale (2022), Taipei Fine Arts Museum (2021), and Haus der Kulturen der Welt in Berlin (2017) among others. 

In this conversation, Sow Yee reflects on her artistic journey. She shares key moments in her career as well as her collaboration with Taiwanese theatre director Chen Yow-Ruu as part of the artistic duo Her Lab Space.

Au Sow Yee, Habitation and Elsewhere: Image as Instrument, 2015, exhibition view in Taipei. Photo by Lin Yu-Quan.

Looking back, could you share a decision or event that marked a significant turn or moment in your path as an artist? 

That would be in 2015, when I accepted the invitation to present my first solo exhibition entitled Habitation and Elsewhere: Image as Instrument in Taipei. The exhibition also marked a change in my career to focus on a series of projects concerning politics of image-making, pop culture and animal tales, rather than scattered subject matter. This was the significant turn for me to becoming a serious artist.

Behind the scenes photo taken during the installation process for Sharjah Biennial 15 (2023). Image courtesy of the artist.

When has been a milestone achievement for you as an artist, and why has it been particularly memorable? 

A significant achievement was being a finalist in the 2018 Asia Pacific Breweries Foundation Signature Art Prize, which also brought about the opportunity for my work to be acquired in a museum collection for the first time. The other milestone would be taking part in Sharjah Biennial 15 in 2023, which connected me to various networks and collaborators after.

Could you walk us through a typical work day, or a typical week? Are there routine(s) you follow to nourish yourself/your artistic practice?

I work independently, as a one-person studio. A typical week is commonly a mix of administrative work, meetings, teaching part-time in an art university and working on different projects. Since I am living in Taipei, a city where art is easily accessible, I regularly see exhibitions, performances and films, if there is time. I also make frequent visits to archives, particularly in the Taipei area.

Shoot day for Aerofuture (2023), in Taipei. Image courtesy of the artist.

Projection mapping for Shattered Night March of the Shimmering Raven (2025/2026), exhibited in Spectrosynthesis Seoul (2026) at Art Sonje Center, Seoul. Image courtesy of the artist.

Could you describe your studio/ workspace? How has it evolved over the years? What do you enjoy about it, and what do you wish to improve?

I usually work in my home studio, and over the years I have tried to be organised. I am planning to arrange books, journals, magazines and archival materials according to my recent creative projects. This would be a huge task to work on.

What has become easier or more difficult to do as time has gone by? 

I try to concentrate on projects I am seriously interested in, but multi-tasking seems to be inevitable as an independent artist. As an introvert, networking or socialising at art parties is still something I find challenging to do.

Au Sow Yee X Chen Yow-Ruu (Her Lab Space), A Curious Séance of K and Ponti, 2025, presented at the Experimental Theater in National Theater and Concert Hall (NTCH), Taipei. Image courtesy of Her Lab Space, photo by Lee Hsin-Che.

Au Sow Yee X Chen Yow-Ruu (Her Lab Space), Once Upon a Unicorn, 2026, performance documentation image, presented at Taichung Art Museum. Image courtesy of Taichung Art Museum, photo by Chen Wan Ning.

Could you talk about the work you do with Chen Yow-Ruu as the artistic duo Her Lab Space? How does it differ from your independent projects?

When I work with Chen Yow-Ruu as Her Lab Space, we focus on projects presenting ambiguous and hybrid forms of performative video installation, theatre and performance. For my personal work, it tends to be video and sound installations. But as time passed, my work became more theatrical which I guess reflects the influence from Her Lab Space.

What do you think has been/is your purpose? Has your purpose remained steadfast or evolved over the years? 

Over the years, I quit my full-time job and to focus on research-based art projects. So far, I think I have remained steadfast in the pursuit, but it requires self-discipline. This can still be difficult at times.

Au Sow Yee X Chen Yow-Ruu (Her Lab Space), Beyond the Cold Sea, Every Cloud a Silver Lining, 2026, installation view at Taiwan Contemporary Culture Lab (C-LAB), Taipei. Image courtesy of C-LAB. Photo by dulub studio.

Are there any ongoing or upcoming exhibitions or projects you wish to share? 

If you are visiting Taipei before mid-August, Her Lab Space is participating in WE Are Becoming, the 2026 annual exhibition at Taiwan Contemporary Culture Lab (C-LAB) with a work titled Beyond the Cold Sea, Every Cloud a Silver Lining (2026). I will also present a lecture performance in early August in Jakarta. Stay tuned for further details.

And finally, what would be a key piece of advice to young art practitioners (artist, curator, manager etc.)? What has been a way of working, a certain kind of attitude etc. they can learn from to apply to their own careers? 

It is important to stand firm and focus on things you are interested in. Opportunities will come if you are focused.

WE Are Becoming is on view from 8 May to 16 August 2026 at Taiwan Contemporary Culture Lab (C-LAB), Taipei. Click here for more information.