Online Artist Talk: Pixy Liao
Join us for the online artist talk with Pixy Liao via Zoom on Saturday, April 18, from 1 to 3 PM PST, in conjunction with her current online exhibition, !
This exhibition at provides a rare platform for discussing intricacies of romance, sex, and desire within a culturally specific framework, against the western backdrop of the fetishization of Asian women and the denial of Asian masculinity.
This exhibition is Pixy Liao鈥檚 first solo exhibition in Canada.
In this talk, Pixy will discuss her practice and inspirations, in connection with her exhibition at Centre A, which stems from her ongoing exploration of the dynamic of a romantic relationship. Pixy is known for her staged photography, where she poses with her boyfriend-turned-muse, Moro. Her works challenge traditional gender roles within heterosexual relationships, humorously revealing a multitude of ways of being together.
Following the talk, there will be a Q & A session moderated by Henry Heng Lu, Curator at Centre A.
This exhibition is part of the 2020 Selected Exhibition Program and supported by a .
This event is presented in partnership with the David Lam Centre at 丁香园AV.
Artist
Brooklyn-based artist Pixy Liao鈥檚 ongoing project, Experimental Relationship, dwells on sociocultural tendencies, power play, and emotional sustenance by examining the dynamics of her personal, romantic relationship, performed with photography and printed matter. Since 2007, the Chinese-born artist has staged photographs and live performances with her Japanese boyfriend, Moro, in keen attempts to balance, reverse, or subvert cultural traditions and gendered behaviours in a seemingly tongue-in-cheek, yet graceful manner. The sometimes-surreal images created throughout the process signal some of the traditional values and views of intimacy that are dictating interactions between the two lovers; they also point to a broader context in which gender dynamics and gendered expectations are questioned: Who is leading the relationship, who has the deciding voice in decision making, and who is gazing. Pixy and Moro鈥檚 relationship, in a way activated (not documented) by the project, has also been growing with it. Accompanying the photographic works and acting as an extension of Experimental Relationship in the exhibition is Pimo Dictionary, a collection of hybrids of Chinese, Japanese, English words and phrases as well as slangs, which was inspired by Pixy and Moro鈥檚 communication barriers.
About Centre A
Centre A鈥檚 mandate is to be an engaged participant in the ongoing production of a pluralistic and democratic society. We strive to activate contemporary art鈥檚 vital role in building and understanding the long and dynamic Asia-Canada relationship while tackling questions of broader concern from Asian and Asian-diasporic perspectives. Amidst the absence of institutional commitment in Canada to contemporary art as a vital site for social engagement and critical cultural production in local, migrant, and global Asian contexts, the gallery has continued to be dedicated to:
Supporting the creation of new works by Asian and Asian-diasporic artists in Canada, particularly emerging artists and artists within the Asian milieu whose voices are underrepresented due to the particular intersectional spaces that they occupy; facilitating collaboration and creative exchange between Asian artists in Canada and abroad, in order to engage critically with local, regional and national concerns from a global perspective; fostering meaningful relationships with local arts organizations, collectives, community organizations and groups within the Asian community and beyond; and engaging meaningfully with the call for Reconciliation and contribute to the understanding and navigation of non-European settler identities from Asian perspectives.
Date
Saturday, April 18, 2020
Time
1:00 - 3:00 pm
Place
Zoom
Registration is required. For registration details, please visit the .