Leading Taiwanese artist brings works to UT gallery

“No Cable Release, No Self-Portrait,” photograph, 40 by 50 inches

“No Cable Release, No Self-Portrait,” photograph, 40 by 50 inches

Breaking boundaries.

That is what artist Liu Ho-Jang strives to do with his work.

The Taiwanese photographer presents a range of his works in Knoxville with "Streets I Ran," on display now at the University of Tennessee Downtown Gallery, 106 S. Gay St.

Consisting of large-scale digital photographs, the exhibit offers an overview of one of Taiwan's leading contemporary artists. His visit to Knoxville is sponsored by the UT School of Art, UT's Ready for the World Program, and UT's Asian Studies Department.

During a recent interview at the Downtown Gallery - with the help of translator Harrison Pang, a media graduate student at UT - Liu said that through his work, he intentionally tries to interact with people, be they the subjects or the audience.

"Oftentimes, art is made to hang there and worship, and I just try to break that boundary to make art more accessible to the general public," Liu said.

An example of that boundary-breaking process is visible in his project entitled "Exchange Goods Project." With the project, Liu photographed street food vendors' dishes, then turned the photos into commercial light boxes that were displayed at the food vendors' stands.

“Red Bean Cake,” photograph, 11.8 by 11.8 inches

The goal, Liu said, was "that my art became their art." Not only were the pieces prominent displays of public art, Liu said the vendors became involved in the artistic process, as they explained the works to passers-by. Yet another positive that came from the project was that, in payment for the art pieces, the vendors gave away food to passers-by during a public art festival.

Other projects in the Downtown Gallery exhibit include "Homelandscape II: His Depth," in which the artist examines his relationship with his father, and the "Brother Museum" photographs, where Liu not only stopped a freeway from running through a crumbling neighborhood, but helped the neighborhood become a thriving arts community.

UT professor of painting Michael Brakke says Liu's work is important because Liu "uses his photographs as a kind of currency, a transaction, between the people he photographs and the audience."

Brakke said the social aspect of Liu's art is inspiring.

"His involvement in the community is deep and motivated by his care for the community more than his desire to advance his own work." Brakke said Liu's work possesses "the ability to stand on its own, and also the ability to touch the broader community."

Liu was born in Taipei, Taiwan, in 1972. The artist, who began his career as a sculptor, says he got his photographic start when "I borrowed a camera from my father to photograph my sculptures."

Liu received a diploma in sculpture from the National Taiwan Academy of Arts in Taiwan in 1994, and his master's of fine arts from Queens College at the City University of New York in 2002. His works have been shown throughout Taiwan, in Paris, France, Costa Rica and New York City.

"Streets I Ran" will be at UT's Downtown Gallery through Nov. 25 Gallery hours are 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Wednesday-Friday and 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturdays. The gallery will host a First Friday reception 5-9 p.m. on Nov. 6. For more information, call 865-673-0802.

Lori Wilson is assistant entertainment editor of the News Sentinel. She may be reached at 865-342-6449.

© 2009, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
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