Empire's Borders I

Overview

Made in 2008–2009, Taiwanese artist Chen Chieh-Jen’s Empire’s Borders conveys the real-life experiences of women who have attempted to cross Taiwan’s borders: first, Taiwanese women denied tourist visas to visit the United States, and second, women from mainland China who have married Taiwanese men and have been denied permission to enter or remain in Taiwan. Shot on 35mm film in stark black and white, each woman relates her story in her own words. The bureaucratic settings for these short monologues recall the interview centre or airport immigration hall where the encounters originally took place.