IVY CHENInformation Artworks/ Design

Untitled Funerals

2022.09 
Miniature Installation, Digital photographs, interactive website; 
Installation dimension variable: 10*30*12mm/piece This installation explores the value of photographs in the age of mass media. Miniature gravestones with QR codes form a cemetery for forgotten images from my archive of tens of thousands. As photography becomes more accessible and media-driven, we produce countless images daily—an overwhelming, yet personal, phenomenon.

Installation view: Screens













It stages a funeral for forgotten iCloud photos by screenshotting them and layering digitally altered portraits of people in black. Echoing Magritte with a contemporary twist, the ghostly figures—floating and semi-transparent—symbolize the gradual fading of these images.

The photos depict repetitive moments from daily life: meals, selfies, sunsets, trips, and exhibitions. Drawing inspiration from an online memorial service I attended during the COVID lockdown, I created digital obituaries for each image. These were printed as QR codes on miniature gravestones, inviting viewers to engage and reflect on the meaning of everyday photography.

Installation ViewInstalled in Framework launch party, Sydney