TITLE: Elysium

My current body of work explores surreal landscapes and post-photographic aesthetics, rendered through evocative, painterly compositions that serve as artistic playgrounds for experimentation. The "Elysium" reimagines traditional notions of poetic fantasy and escapism. By blending the familiar with the fantastical, the work evokes a sense of wonder and curiosity, encouraging viewers to immerse themselves in the imagery and uncover its many layers of meaning. The intricate details draw the viewer in, inviting closer examination of the composition's various elements. This image emerges from internal and surreal landscapes, reflecting illusions, fantasies, and Eastern aesthetics. Viewers can appreciate in detail how I manipulate the enchanted image between photographic realism and pictorial poetics. Through its narratives and characters — infused with a subtle touch of humour — I invite the audience to journey through the work.

AUTHOR: Vinci Weng (Taiwan)

Dr. Vinci Weng, a distinguished artist and professor of fine art, has garnered attention for his innovative approach to visual storytelling. His work rethinks the concept of a ‘cinematographic’ picture, seamlessly blending East-West pictorial traditions while navigating the boundaries between realism and surrealism. Weng’s images transcend specific locations or venues, presenting a fantastical world of their own, characterized by an intriguing organization of fields, depths, scales, and colours. These fictional universes, often inspired by real-world elements, invite viewers into magical events and wonder tales of utopia, where natural and artificial realities coexist harmoniously.

Weng’s artistic philosophy revolves around creating images that transcend conventional boundaries and invite viewers into a world where reality and fantasy intertwine. His approach involves meticulous attention to detail, sophisticated use of colour and composition, and a deep understanding of both Eastern and Western artistic traditions. By rethinking the ‘cinematographic’ picture, Weng seeks to create a unique visual language that captures the imagination and evokes a sense of wonder and curiosity. His works are characterized by their ability to convey complex narratives and emotions, drawing viewers into his meticulously crafted fictional landscapes.

Weng does not use AI-generated tools nor stock images, instead relying solely on complex manipulations of his own photographic images captured on location. His ideas, planning, post-production, and photographs are all seamlessly integrated to achieve the visual strength of the final result. The working process is painstaking and often takes several months to produce a large-scale work. His work has been featured in awards/exhibitions at numerous international galleries, museums, and festivals, including Siena Awards Festival (Italy), Royal Albert Hall (London), Glasgow Gallery of Photography (UK), Association of Photographers Gallery (London), Business Design Centre (London), Royal West of England Academy (UK), Aberystwyth Arts Centre (UK), Blank Wall Gallery (Athens), YellowKorner Art Photography (Paris), Sotheby’s Amsterdam Gallery (Amsterdam), Centre for Contemporary Art MARS (Moscow), Centre for Fine Art Photography Fort Collins (USA), National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts, Taipei Fine Arts Museum, and Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts (Taiwan), as well as being included in the RPS International Print Exhibitions from 2013 to 2016 (UK). He was awarded the Global Best Creative Awards 2026 - Platinum Prize (UK); the Future Art & Design Award 2025 – Gold Prize (UK); The Homiens Art Prize 2025 - Highly Commended (New York); International Color Awards 2025 – Merit of Excellence (USA); The LICC 2024 – Create-Art Shortlist (UK); Digital Manipulation Award 2025 – Black & White Magazine (USA); Discovery of the Year at the reFocus Awards – World Photo Annual 2024 (New York); Monochrome Awards 2024 (London); Siena Creative Photo Awards 2024 (Italy); 1839 Awards 2024 (New York); The Persona Art Honours 2024 (Spain); MUSE Photography Awards 2023~2026 (New York); Chromatic Awards 2017–2023 (London); Fine Art Photography Awards 2015–2023 (London); The Lumen Prize 2012 (UK); and Peterborough Prize 2001 (UK), among many others.