Interested in: Freedom of opinion/expression/speech, Right to health, Access to information

Through the activation of public spaces around the world, Taiwanese-American artist Candy Chang provokes playful and profound visions for how we can connect, reflect, and cultivate the health of our communities. For over a decade she has created participatory experiments in the public realm that examine the thresholds between isolation and community, the psychology of civic engagement, and how shared places can cultivate introspection, intimacy, and kinship. Candy’s projects have examined issues from criminal justice and the future of vacant buildings to personal aspirations and anxieties. Her participatory public art project Before I Die has been created in over 1,000 cities and over 70 countries, including Iraq, China, Haiti, Kazakhstan, and South Africa.

Candy challenges the conventional perception of public space and the role it can play in the well-being of the community and the individual. She believes public art can play a profound role in helping us make sense of the beauty and tragedy of life with the people around us. She is a TED Senior Fellow.

candychang.com