C. Tai Tai

 

C. Tai Tai is an immigrant artist based in Chicago, with roots in other parts of the US (New York, California), Taiwan, and Latin America. Historically, she performed under the name, Tina Wang.

Negotiating a freedom in self expression with the fragility of conformity and belonging (to society) are key themes in her work. By inconveniencing the resistant body with burdensome organic and inorganic objects, she challenges assumptions about where these objects belong, who belongs with them, and their relationship to living bodies.

Tai Tai obtained her BA in dance and psychology at Washington University, and Certificate in contemporary dance performance at the Peridance Capezio Center. She has furthered her movement training with other dance (American Dance Festival), yoga asana (Iyengar), and fitness (powerlifting and Strongman) modalities. Her work has been supported by EMERGENYC, Creative Capital's taller para artistas profesionales, The Sable Project, and the NYFA Immigrant Artist Program.

Her work has been hosted by Judson Church, New York Live Arts, Governor's Island, The Exponential Festival, FiveMyles, Chashasma, Dixon Place, the Immigrant Artist Biennial fundraiser, Nimbus Dance, and Chinatown Soup to name a few. Grants from Dance/NYC, California Arts Council, The Foundation for Contemporary Arts, University of Chicago's graduate council and Arts and Science + Culture Initiative have also helped with her art making.

 
 
 
A photo of an upset stream with a foot in it under a spiny, black rock-like sculpture. On the right is a blue rock-like sculpture and on the left are two red ones.

Bodies underwater. 2023. porcelain pieces on inkjet print & pedestals. Photo by Bob.

 
Photo of a person kneeling with their arms folded, but their face is cut off just above the mouth. There is a very small camera on a stand in front of them. The photo is black and white. Above the photo is an exit sign.

Mold resiliency: a duel. 2022. vinyl adhesive and Hahnemuhle print. Photo by Bob.

 
Photo of a mold of an upside down light bulb.

Mold resiliency: a duel. 2022. vinyl adhesive and Hahnemuhle print. Photo by Bob.

 
A very large, cracked sculpture that resembles a foot.

Foot helmet poses/serves. 2022. ceramic. Photo by Bob.

 
A window within which there is a photo of a girl on her phone and a blue piece of bubble wrap being peeled back.

A still life for performance series (swim/survival/sink/soft) TANKING. 2023. mixed media (behind window). Photo by Bob.