The first episode of A Collection Of… Spaces in 2026 is a conversation with Liang-Jung Chen, an artist, researcher and collector.
I visited Liang at her live/work studio in Poplar, East London, where she has been based as part of a three-year residency at the Acme Fire Station. The space functions as both home and studio, supporting a practice that moves between making, research and reflection.
I first came across Liang through The Hardware Archive and was curious about how the project has evolved over time. We spoke about the process of collecting, researching and cataloguing everyday household items, and how the archive operates as an ongoing research space that elevates ubiquitous hardware, objects often overlooked yet deeply embedded in daily life.
Our conversation explored how Liang uses her space, and the realities of being a full-time artist in London while also taking part in international residencies and workshops. We talked about the challenges of finding short-term work with other artists and arts organisations, and how this shapes the rhythm of her practice.
Liang’s wider artistic work spans movement, performance and site-specific installation. A recent project documents her personal journey through the British citizenship and indefinite leave to remain application process, using performance and documentation to navigate systems of belonging and bureaucracy.
I left the conversation thinking about what it means to live and work in the same space, something many people struggle to separate both physically and mentally. It echoed my earlier conversation with Daniel Eatock and the idea of treating everything as one, the work you make and the life you live unified in a way that allows ideas to emerge, overlap and evolve.
Enjoy!
https://www.instagram.com/liangjung_chen/
https://liangjungchen.com/
https://www.instagram.com/hardware_archive/
https://hardwarearchive.org/
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If you would like to contribute to this series then please feel free to get in touch. I would love to see your workshop, studio, garden shed, home project or small space you call your own.
www.acollectionof.info
www.instagram.com/acollectionof.info
www.youtube.com/@acollectionof
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"A Collection Of… Spaces" is a series where I visit the workspaces of creative practitioners to explore their ideas, processes and ways of thinking. Through relaxed conversations and accompanying photographs, the series uncovers how their environments shape what they make, from the tools they reach for to the inspirations that guide their day.
Each episode highlights the value of studios, workshops and home project spaces as places that support experimentation, creativity and the quiet work that sits behind finished pieces.
