Ching-hui Chou (born in 1965) lives and works in Taipei, Taiwan. After graduating from Shih Hsin School of Journalism (now Shih Hsin University), Ching-hui Chou joined the fast-paced media industry as a photojournalist in 1988. During this time, the industry had just begun to thrive with newfound freedom of speech as a result of the lifting of multi-decade-long martial law in Taiwan. It was also at this time that Ching-hui Chou started to pursue his passion for photojournalism and embarked on several self-funded projects. Ching-hui Chou’s work since the 1990s often features in-depth depiction of specific groups of people or communities in modern society, and he believes that the storytelling aspect of fine art photography is a more effective way of presenting and annotating familiar stories in our surroundings. In all projects, Ching-hui Chou always ensures that his subjects have enough trust in him and that constant interaction is maintained. He also conducts research and investigation in advance for him to acquire sufficient understanding of topics before he presses the shutter. While inspired by social issues and events, Ching-hui Chou applies an artistic approach that seeks to interpret true stories through neartheatrical representations.
Ching-Hui explains that photography provides means for validating one’s self and existence. That is, in Ching-Hui Chou’s words, “Speaking my mind through images, which in turn accounts for the value of my existence. Through photography, I can experience more possibilities of life.”
His work won him international recognition. He has been invited by major art museums, art centers and galleries to show works internationally at photography exhibitions.