Collum

"Collum," meaning "neck" in Latin, can also be interpreted as an architectural column. Through the use of this metaphor, the artwork delves into the interplay between vulnerability and strength. It engages with themes of sensuality, resilience, and posthuman forms, drawing upon the neck's association with sensuality and vulnerability as well as the column's symbolism of strength and stability. These themes are present in both the Mannerist painting "Madonna with the Long Neck" and the medieval hymn "Collum tuum ut columna," in which Virgin Mary's neck is symbolic of her incorruptible purity and virtue. However, Chen's work challenges and rejects ideals of divine feminine purity, instead pres...View all