“The purpose of setting out is the scenery along the way, and it is that scenery that gives meaning to the journey.” The exhibition “Journey · Along the Way” brings together artist Chen Ching-Ming’s reflections on creation and a journey of contemplation. It reveals his ongoing exploration of the shifting relationship between the self and the world. In his work, Chen employs non-referential “individuals” as prototypes. These forms resemble the living beings we recognize in life, yet they do not represent or refer to any specific named entity. Instead, they embody vitality and narrative potential, symbolizing different stages within a journey. Through these figures, viewers are invited to discover their own sense of identification. Chen Ching-Ming’s works therefore extend beyond aesthetic expression, offering a deeper reflection on life, growth, and transformation. The distinctive textures and layered qualities present in the works of this exhibition arise from Chen’s observations while hiking and walking through mountainous landscapes. Details such as the folds of geological faults, the compressed layers of schist, and the interconnected patterns of ancient tree bark all serve as visual inspirations. For the artist, these natural phenomena exist on a timescale far beyond that of human life—magnificence that cannot be easily captured in words. Through this perspective, viewers can sense his meditation on time, transformation, and lived experience. Guided by an instinctive and primal sensitivity to nature, Chen conducts an in-depth exploration of the island of Taiwan. Extending his reflections on ethnicity and geological fault lines, he draws upon elements of the forest as the foundation of his creative practice. Through diverse forms and materials, and through variations in texture and structure, each work is endowed with its own unique narrative—inviting intuitive engagement and deeper contemplation. “The purpose of a journey is not to reach the destination, but to encounter every life along the way.”