In this exhibition, artists Anthony Chiou and Tja Ling Hu explore how migration, family history and memories influence one’s identity and sense of belonging.

What does ‘home’ mean when you have left a country, or when your family history is linked to a place where you yourself did not grow up? In this exhibition, Anthony Chiou and Tja Ling Hu show how the memories and stories of previous generations continue to resonate in the present.

Anthony Chiou: memories of Suriname

Anthony Chiou was born and brought up in Suriname. He later moved to the Netherlands. In his paintings, he explores what is left behind when you leave a country.

He works in oil paint, using intense colours and various layers of paint. Sometimes these layers are thin and fluid; at other times, they are thick and textured. Images appear and then fade away again. He draws his inspiration from family photographs, memories of landscapes and the colours of Suriname.

His family’s migration history also plays a part. Chiou is investigating what previous generations left behind and which memories they chose to take with them.

Tja Ling Hu: identity and family stories

Well, Ling Hu was born in the Netherlands. Her parents fled China in the 1970s. Their experiences and stories are a major source of inspiration for her art.

Hu visited China twice: when she was three and when she was sixteen. As a result, her connection to the country consists mainly of family stories and memories that have been passed down to her.

In her work, she explores identity, womanhood and the influence of family history. She works on paper, with ceramics and in oil. This exhibition focuses on her oil paintings. New work is on display, alongside paintings previously shown at Art Busan.

Her paintings show how events you haven’t experienced yourself can still influence who you are and where you feel at home. She also explores how women share experiences and memories with one another and pass them on to future generations.

Two artists, two stories about migration

Chiou and Hu each have a different relationship with migration. Chiou herself moved from Suriname to the Netherlands. Hu grew up hearing stories about her parents’ escape from China.

Both artists use painting to explore memories, identity and the sense of belonging. Their work shows how personal experiences and family history remain interconnected, even when separated by countries and generations.