Xianjun Liu

XIANJUN LIU

XIANJUN LIU, A PHOTOGRAPHER, DELVES INTO time, identity, and culture. HIS EVOCATIVE WORKS RESONATE, OFFERING A GLIMPSE INTO LIFE'S COMPLEXITIES, TRANSCENDING BORDERS, EXPLORING belonging, memory, and solitude.

ARTIST STATEMENT

I left China to UK for a more comfortable living life for my identity, but also struggled with my own cultural identity in a new context and a different culture while facing all the pressure of being an expat and immigrant, the instability and insecurity in life inspire me a lot to express my feelings and ideas. Especially during the period of pandemic. When I was living and studying in The Glasgow School of Art, I started my exploration of time through photography, my inaugural project, "The Form of Memories," employed a deliberate blur effect through long exposure technique. This technique mirrored the gradual fading of our own memories over time. As moments pass, our recollections become fragmented, resembling the indistinct images captured in my photographs. Reconstructing cohesive memories grows increasingly challenging as time marches on. Later on my second project, "Time" was inspired by an experience of me going back to my hometown for the first time after 15 years, and I shot my first home where everything was left how it was like 15 years ago, I felt the power of time and just recorded it as a project.

ARTWORK STATEMENT

While I was living and studying in Glasgow, I began exploring the theme of time through various projects since the pandemic period when everything felt up in the air— no idea where we were headed or how things would turn out, and how everything stays and changes in the river of time. Additionally, as an expatriate living alone in a foreign country, loneliness and uncertainty are constant companions. I seek solace in nature and space. I immersed myself in capturing the beauty of the present moment— be it the vibrant hues of a tree, the dance of falling leaves, or the tranquillity of a snowy landscape. These snapshots, akin to our memories, mirror the passage of time. As days blur into weeks, our recollections fade like photographs, a tapestry of colours and sensations that become increasingly elusive to rewind. These moments and feelings inspired me to create this project.

How do you see your experiences as an expatriate and immigrant influencing your artistic perspective and the themes you explore in your photography?

I moved a lot since I was a kid with my family, to different cities, starting different lives. The root to a place never felt deep enough for me to consider it an actual home. My friend group and life were all affected by this, I never felt stable and secure. Until I experienced conversion therapy and a suppressed gay life in China. That's when I started chasing the feeling of "home." So, I moved to the UK for a less suppressing LGBT+ community life. It's much easier to be who I am here. I enjoyed it a lot and met many important friends in life. But for someone from a totally different culture and background, I somehow have never felt "home" here either. The "home" and life I am chasing here feel like they never existed. Then I started to feel a vast amount of loneliness, confusion, and doubts. The insecure, unstable, and peculiar feelings I experienced and felt in life all influenced the themes I explored in photography.

Your project "The Form of Memories" explores the theme of time. Could you elaborate on how you approach this concept through your photography?

Photography itself is an approach to capture time, and I have always had a huge interest in it. Around 3 years ago, I spontaneously took along exposure photo with my hand accidentally shaking, but somehow it turned out surprisingly great. Then I began to explore this concept further, leading to the project "The Form of Memories," when I was in a stage of insecurity in life. The long exposure and blurry effect of the photos also represent the passing of time and the peculiar feeling associated with it. It all started and was inspired by that accidental moment.

Nature seems to play a significant role in your work, particularly in capturing the beauty of the present moment. How does nature inspire and inform your artistic vision?

I personally love wandering around when I am free, especially in parks and nature. It always makes me feel relaxed, like a retreat experience. In nature throughout the year, you can see and feel very clearly how time passes by, from every single leaf on the tree, from every little flower on the grass, from spring green to winter ash, nature itself presents time, and every different present moment changes. So, I decided and started shooting this project in long exposure from different seasons of the year, and it turned out it took me three years to finish this project. When I didn't feel satisfied with a season's photos, then I had to wait until the next year. Basically, I aimed to find perfection from the imperfect blurry photos.

Your project "Time" was inspired by your return to your hometown after 15 years. How did this experience shape your understanding of time, and how did you translate that into your photographic work?

"Time" was the first project that I started to create after "The Form of Memories", in a totally different form, not blurry at all. I still feel a very peculiar feeling even now when I recall the memories of how I felt at that moment, after 15 years of returning to my hometown for the first time. It was like a shock to witness how much the town had changed, yet also remained the same. The little forest behind the balcony had been removed for development, my uncle’s home and the peach tree garden where we used to play were also gone. As I walked around and saw some places, remembering who used to live there, I realised that some friends and family who lived there had already passed away. Everything in town had changed a lot, but when I returned to my own home and my own rooms, they were the same as in my memories, just aged a lot. That was the moment I felt the impact of time. Then I started to create the photos for the project, in a completely different form, not blurry at all, but more focused on the composition itself. I intended to create imperfect compositions, with not many straight lines, and some abrupt objects on the edge of the photos. For me, it was like rewinding memories, imperfection with a strong atmosphere, just like how it is in my memories.

The theme of loneliness and uncertainty appears to be recurring in your projects. How do you navigate these emotions through your photography, and what message do you hope to convey to your audience?

When I start thinking and feeling, I always try to figure out what I feel and what touches me at that moment, and then I try to capture that in my works. Light is very important in my work, every single change in it could lead to different feelings and emotions. I try my best to capture and express that through my work, but I know that for some people, when they view my works, they feel something totally different from what I initially intended. This is very interesting to see. For example, if they do not know me, how would they feel about this work?

Can you share some insights into your creative process when conceptualising and executing a photography project? How do you translate your ideas into visual narratives?

When I start a project, there are mainly two ways. It could be that I have not yet figured out my concept, but I am trying to figure it out by doing it. The other one could be that I already have a concept and am now just trying to find a way to execute it. It really depends on the stage you and the work are at. But it is much easier to start with what captivates you, what moves you, what inspires you to create, and how you want it to be. When I was creating "The Form of Memories," it took me a while to realize what captivated me, what moved me, and how I should create it. Sometimes it is your subconscious that notices things first, and then you delve into it by exploring through your work.

Your artwork has been exhibited in various galleries worldwide. How do you feel about the reception and interpretation of your work by different audiences and cultures?

When it comes to different experiences and cultures, people may not resonate with them, which is common to see, but the feelings of the works could be conveyed. They may be received differently from their original thoughts, but as long as you build the bridge, then it is people’s option to choose the path.

You mentioned exploring different art forms and writing poetry in your free time. How do these other creative outlets influence your photography, if at all?

Writing poetry definitely helps me think freely, but at the same time, logically. It helps me figure out how I feel and what actually makes me feel this way. It's like tracing back to the original thoughts and subconsciousness.

What role do you believe photography plays in capturing and preserving memories, especially in the context of the fleeting nature of time?

For me, it plays a role in freezing moments in time, creating tangible reminders of experiences, people, and places that might otherwise fade from memory. It also has the ability to evoke emotions and stir memories in ways that words alone cannot. It serves to remind us of every present moment we experienced at that time, like the trees basking in the sunlight, the falling leaves, and the breeze rustling through the branches. All of these serve as reminders of the moments of life.

What themes or concepts are you interested in exploring in your future photographic projects?

I experienced an unstable life since I was a kid, and I wasn't alone in this experience. Many families in China at that time also experienced it. The strategies the government applied to speed up development influenced billions of individual lives, leading them down different paths. So, I want to explore, trace back, and see the consequences it caused for individual lives and for the whole society.

ARTIST BIO

MY NAME IS XIANJUN LIU AND I AM A photographer BASED IN LONDON CURRENTLY, I WAS BORN IN CHINA, MY floating growing experience FROM DIFFERENT CITIES TO DIFFERENT COUNTRIES, AND MY gay identity IN DIFFERENT COMPLEX CONTEXTS, ALL INSPIRES ME TO VIEW THIS WORLD in different perspectives AND expresses how I feel.

AFTER GRADUATING WITH A BACHELOR'S DEGREE IN architecture FROM THE Glasgow School of Art, WITH ALL MY MOTIVATION AND INTEREST, I BEGAN MY FREELANCING PHOTOGRAPHY CAREER. MY ART WORKS HAVE BEEN EXHIBITED IN DIFFERENT GALLERIES ALL OVER THE WORLD, SUCH AS Royal Scottish Academy IN EDINBURGH, Holy Art Gallery IN LONDON, AND The Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts IN CHINA. I LOVE DEPICTING MY IDEA AND IMAGINATION WITHIN MY ARTWORK AND WORKING WITH OTHERS TO CREATE ONE-OF-A-KIND ARTWORK. IN MY FREE TIME, I LIKE TO EXPLORE DIFFERENT ART FORMS AND WRITE SOME poems.

REVIEW

Xianjun Liu's photographic narrative delves deep into the intersection of identity, memory, and the passage of time. Hailing from China and currently residing in London, Liu's lens captures the essence of his nomadic existence as an expatriate and immigrant, echoing a perpetual search for roots and stability.

His series "The Form of Memories," offers a poignant exploration of time's ephemeral nature. Through long-exposure prints, Liu immortalises fleeting moments, imbuing them with a haunting nostalgia that underscores the fragility of memory. Each image serves as a visual meditation on the transience of life, inviting viewers to reflect on the impermanence of the present moment.

Nature emerges as a central motif in Liu's oeuvre, serving as a canvas for his introspective musings on time and space. From lush forests to wintry landscapes, his photographs capture the cyclical rhythms of the natural world with a poetic grace. Through subtle shifts in light and composition, Liu evokes a sense of timelessness, inviting viewers to contemplate the eternal dance of creation and decay.

In "Time," Liu embarks on a deeply personal journey to his hometown, a pilgrimage marked by a profound sense of nostalgia and longing. Through meticulously composed images, he retraces the passage of time, capturing the essence of familiar landscapes imbued with the patina of memory. Each photograph is a testament to the enduring power of place, serving as a poignant reminder of the inexorable march of time.

Throughout his work, themes of loneliness and uncertainty reverberate, echoing the universal human experience of displacement and longing. Through his evocative imagery, Liu invites viewers to confront their own existential questions, forging a profound connection that transcends cultural boundaries.

In an age marked by rapid change and uncertainty, Xianjun Liu's photography offers a beacon of solace, reminding us of the timeless beauty that resides in the fleeting moments of everyday life. Through his lens, he captures the essence of the human experience with a rare sensitivity, inviting viewers to embark on a transformative journey of self-discovery and reflection.