Amy Chou

The Women on Women Exhibit is set in the beautiful Taoist Hong Miao,
literally meaning 'Red Temple,' built in the Ming Dynasty. Renovated
and reopened as a gallery in 2006, the Hong Miao Gallery's ancient
interior design, high ceilings, and windows allows outer light to
stream in adding an ambience that other galleries are unable to
achieve. Complimenting the female Buddha, Guan Yin, who is situated in
the temple, the exhibit displays works from eight women artists all
striving to show their thoughts about the society around them. Ann Yen
(Chinese), Barbara Edelstein (US), Chen Xiao Dan (Chinese), Christin
Kalweit (Germany), Gao Qian (Chinese), Lige Ye (Chinese), Virginie
Lerouge Knight (French). The works are created from a range of media
from a sculpture made of sponges to traditional paintings. One
particular piece that I liked was by Lige Ye. Her hanging scrolls of
traditional rice paper had paintings of floating faceless people. The
fact that there was no face made it difficult to connect with the
people in the paintings, but at the same time, it felt like there was
a connection to all people. Most of the other Chinese artists' works
were done traditionally and seemed to be more about looking beautiful
than carrying a political message.