Your Underground, My Life

Yang Deng-Chi (Manbo Key) draws inspiration from the evocative atmosphere of Mandarin-language celluloid films, adopting an intimate photographic perspective that indulges the audience’s voyeuristic desires. By positioning himself as a psychological reflection of his family’s modern history, he has established himself as Taiwan’s first photographer to seamlessly navigate the interplay between concept, form, thematic depth, and market resonance.

For Yang, the potency of an image is the decisive factor before pressing the shutter. Beyond traditional notions of punctum and aura, his precise visual compositions reflect a keen sensitivity to graphic design. As he asserts, “Art is the foundation of design.” Employing fast-paced media, Yang experiments with flat-plane layouts and paradoxical, uncanny spatial experiences. His development of innovative image-processing techniques, simulating double-exposure effects, allows his work to leave a lasting imprint in a marketplace of rapid visual consumption. In navigating the blurred boundaries between artistic and professional disciplines, he uncovers nuanced avenues for the evolution of planar concepts.

Yang’s works occupy the visual core of collaged materials, media as carriers of content, or staged events. His deep understanding of design transforms photography into an integrative practice under his lens. While “issues” serve as his conceptual packaging, it is the refined “form” that elevates his content to mainstream relevance—ultimately making Yang Deng-Chi a pivotal figure in Taiwan’s contemporary creative landscape.

Instagram @manbo_key︎︎︎

Text: F.P..
Image source: Instagram @manbo_key︎︎︎.
Published: December 27, 2024. Last Updated: December 27, 2024.