Born in Taichung, Taiwan, in 1976, Chia-En Jao graduated from the Taipei National University of the Arts (2000) before studying at the École nationale supérieure des beaux-arts, Paris. After earning a diplôme national supérieur d’arts plastiques (2004), he relocated to the United Kingdom, where he completed an MFA at Goldsmiths, University of London (2007). The historical, political, and cultural narratives surrounding and shaping our understanding of Taiwan are important sources for Jao’s project-based practice, which encompasses works on paper, performances, and multichannel video installations. In 30 Proposals of Flag (2009), Jao draws on various emblems of Taiwanese culture and history to present thirty alternatives to the national flag. Using a device that has traditionally acted as a potent symbol of power and patriotism, Jao thus reimagines Taiwanese identity. This research led to Arms (2012–14), a series of proposals for thirty fictional coats of arms, and most recently to Arms no. 31 (2016), a large tapestry comprised of various fabric pieces that represent diverse subcultures and their lineages in society. Alongside such research-based projects, Jao often collaborates with a wide range of communities, from civilian protesters to Southeast Asian immigrants. His three-channel video installation REM Sleep (2011) explores the plight of immigrant workers in Taiwan by inviting eighteen people from Thailand, the Philippines, Indonesia, and Vietnam to narrate one of their dreams in front of the camera. These dreams—often nightmares—outline their experiences of poor working conditions and discrimination. Adopting the lens of individuals, here he seeks to challenge social conventions, mainstream history, and conservative ideologies. Such an undertaking is central to Jao’s newly commissioned work for the Guggenheim Museum, Taxi (2016), a single-channel video that captures his conversations with Taipei cab drivers as they travel to sites of historical and political significance. Jao’s work has been presented in numerous solo exhibitions including those at Taipei Art Village (2009); TheCube Project Space, Taipei (2011); and Künstlerhaus Bethanien, Berlin (2015). He has participated in group exhibitions including New Work UK: Trust Yourself, Whitechapel Gallery, London (2007); Taiwan Calling: A szabadság fantomja, Műcsarnok Kunsthalle, Budapest (2010–11); Taipei Biennials (2010 and 2012–13); Shanghai Biennial: Reactivation (2012–13); Asia Pacific Triennial, Brisbane (2012–13); What We See, National Museum of Art, Osaka (2013); 2014 Taipei Arts Awards, Taipei Fine Arts Museum (2014); A Voyage to South: Contemporary Images from the Museum Collection, Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts, Taiwan (2015); and Tales of Our Time, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York (2016–17).