Imagine living in a place where the threat of invasion looms like a persistent fog, ready to roll in at any moment. For Taiwanese artist Yuan Goang-Ming, this isn’t just a metaphor, it’s his daily reality.

His latest exhibit at the Asian Art Museum, “Everyday War,” isn’t your typical art show. It’s a raw, visceral exploration of life under constant geopolitical tension, where domestic spaces can explode at any second and peaceful moments are charged with underlying anxiety.

A Glimpse into Unnerving Normalcy

Yuan’s video installations are like emotional time bombs. In “Dwelling,” a serene living room suddenly detonates, pieces scattering before magically reassembling. “Everyday War” transforms a seemingly ordinary studio apartment into a landscape of potential destruction. These aren’t just videos, they’re psychological landscapes that capture the perpetual state of uncertainty facing Taiwan.

Beyond Traditional War Narratives

This isn’t about tanks rolling in or missiles flying. As artist Summer Lee brilliantly notes, it’s about the “invisible wars” happening everywhere, funding cuts, eroding rights, climate chaos. Yuan transforms these abstract threats into something you can actually see and feel.

Art as Emotional Survival

Curator Abby Chen describes the exhibit as therapeutic, a way to articulate the vague dread that many people carry but struggle to express. By transforming anxiety into art, Yuan gives viewers a strange kind of hope, a way to process fear without being consumed by it.

For anyone feeling overwhelmed by global uncertainty, “Everyday War” offers a powerful reminder: sometimes, understanding our fears is the first step to transcending them.