清影

Inna Art Space is delighted to present artist Xinyi Liu's first solo exhibition in China, titled "Raiment and Flesh." The exhibition will open on July 13, 2024, at 3 PM and will run until September 8, 2024. Liu began a month-long residency at Inna Art Space’s Building 10 on June 10, where she initiated a series of new works reflecting her tactile explorations over recent years. These works focus on the fragility and restoration of the body, transforming sensations of wind, rain, and humidity into tangible forms.

In Liu's hands, Xuan paper becomes a living entity. She layers it upon the body, repeatedly moistening and drying it with paint. This intimate dance between material and flesh translates the essence of skin onto Xuan paper, which gradually accumulates texture and color, growing wrinkled and scarred. These crumpled, skin-like papers are gently released and adhered to canvas, with their journey from chaos to calm visible in every fold. Finally, a single, delicate line suggests a state of airing, as if the paper, now an amalgamation of raiment and flesh, flutters in a gentle breeze.

The paintings themselves whisper of loose yet dense brushstrokes, with hues of cyan and pale pink subtly mingling. These shades derive from Liu's intuitive experiences of Hangzhou during her residency, perceived not through direct exploration but through the permeable walls of her studio. The monsoon season's weather, the damp air, and even the leaking roof in heavy rain—all these elements seep into the texture of her works.

Inna Art Space is delighted to present artist Xinyi Liu's first solo exhibition in China, titled "Raiment and Flesh." The exhibition will open on July 13, 2024, at 3 PM and will run until September 8, 2024. Liu began a month-long residency at Inna Art Space’s Building 10 on June 10, where she initiated a series of new works reflecting her tactile explorations over recent years. These works focus on the fragility and restoration of the body, transforming sensations of wind, rain, and humidity into tangible forms.

In Liu's hands, Xuan paper becomes a living entity. She layers it upon the body, repeatedly moistening and drying it with paint. This intimate dance between material and flesh translates the essence of skin onto Xuan paper, which gradually accumulates texture and color, growing wrinkled and scarred. These crumpled, skin-like papers are gently released and adhered to canvas, with their journey from chaos to calm visible in every fold. Finally, a single, delicate line suggests a state of airing, as if the paper, now an amalgamation of raiment and flesh, flutters in a gentle breeze.

The paintings themselves whisper of loose yet dense brushstrokes, with hues of cyan and pale pink subtly mingling. These shades derive from Liu's intuitive experiences of Hangzhou during her residency, perceived not through direct exploration but through the permeable walls of her studio. The monsoon season's weather, the damp air, and even the leaking roof in heavy rain—all these elements seep into the texture of her works.

Liu's creative process is akin to a poetic ritual, where direct and indirect perceptions intertwine. She likens her technique to a surgical procedure, emphasizing the tactile sense of manipulation. Instead of shaping images directly with her brush, she adheres, layers, waits, and restores, allowing her works to emerge organically. Paper, wet wipes, and other fibrous materials are imbued with life and skin-like vitality, their fragile resilience unfolding through repeated actions. Eventually, these living materials are flattened onto the canvas with a surgeon’s care. Each repetition is a testament to emotions that resist healing, rendered tangible through their persistent objectification. This cyclical process mirrors the essence of history—stories retold, chants repeated, revisions made, and confessions whispered, each layer adding depth to the narrative.