Chen Zhen

The work Crystal Landscape of Inner Body evokes the centuries-old Taoist concept of “Internal Alchemy”, a practice of visualising the human body as a form of healing. To initiate a process of purification of the body, one meditates on each internal organ, which with the use of crystal material, reflects on its surface the external world, indicating how they are complementary to each other. In Crystal Landscape, Chen makes his internal organs in perfectly transparent and shiny crystal. 

This purity contradicts the contamination of the body itself.

“The particular geography of the body is called inner body landscape. According to Chinese it is meridians and channels of energy, for westerners it is nerves and arteries. Simply put, Chinese do not perform anatomical dissection.”

“Crystal Landscape of Inner Body is made up of twelve clinical supervision beds that may be installed together or separately. Human organs, made of crystal, lay on the beds to form an “Inner Landscape” of the body. These dozen “bodies” correspond to twelve Chinese astrological signs. They symbolize the differences between individuals, difference conceived as enrichment. These organs are like spherical mirrors: by reflecting the positive and negative aspects of our environment, the “inner landscape” is transformed ... A dozen entities that unveil the fragility of the body and the necessity of taking care of it ...”

Chen Zhen