Today we’d like to introduce you to Keyi Liu.
Hi Keyi, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Hi everyone, I’m Keyi Liu. I’m a multimedia artist and illustrator. Currently, I am traveling between New York and London for my art activities.
Since I was young, my dream is to be an artist. I dreamt every day, and when I woke up, I could vividly remember everything that happened in my dreams. Compared to reality, the world in my dreams looks twisted and chaotic. This is probably where my art creation began. I believe the world is multidimensional. Humans and fantastical creatures coexist, which leads me to fantasize about it. Another factor that influenced me was the education system I experienced. The education system before college was rigorous and oppressive. Schools required students to have the same hairstyle, wear the same clothes, etc. When everyone stood together, you couldn’t tell them apart because they all looked the same.
This experience has also changed my perspective on artistic creation. Before this, I thought artistic creation was simply about depicting scenes from my imagination. However, afterward, I realized that art is a metaphorical language that can express my attitudes toward society and life. This made me even more determined to become an artist. Then, I began to put my emotions and thoughts about life and culture into my artwork, which set the form for the inspiration I would find in my subsequent creations.
After that, I officially started my art studies. I received a BFA degree in Illustration major from the School of Visual Arts and a March degree in Design for Performance and Interaction from University College London. During this time, I explored many different mediums and developed the ability to think, which has significantly improved my work in terms of both concept and artistic expression. At this stage, my mainly focus is on 3D art, using this artistic form to explore some social themes.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Art is a very challenging career. Artists not only need to learn to get along with themselves, but also with others.
For me, this journey is not a smooth road. Every stage of art creation brings new bottlenecks and challenges, and this process is complicated. However, enduring through this period will lead to a noticeable improvement. This is something every artist continuously experiences in their studies and creations. Moreover, in this era of rapid technological advancement, it’s essential to engage with some new technologies, mediums, and perspectives to keep our art reasonable because art creation is not entirely based on imagination; it needs to be in the social context that people are living in so that it can resonate with the audience. Therefore, an artist should continue learning new things and selectively incorporating them into their art.
While facing self-improvement, artists should also consider their social value. If art is developed as a career, then we have to consider this. Sometimes, we make works that we are delighted with but not necessarily approved by society; it is essential to find a balance between them.
But in general, I always have a clear goal for art creation, so although there are still many things to learn and explore, seeing the improvement of my works and different feedback is interesting and enjoyable.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I have explored many mediums, such as illustration, generative art, 3D art, installation art, and so on. My current projects are primarily focused on 3D art, and in the future, I may combine 3D art with installations to create an interactive installation project.
I think my specialty is visual design. I’m a very imaginative person. I see any sights in life, even a white wall, and I can instantly transform them into a fantastical space, so for me, this creative process is a constant source of inspiration; that’s what I’m most proud of. And I’m a goal-oriented person who doesn’t give up easily, which I think is very important in creating art because it’s not an easy journey, and when an artist has a good idea, they need to have the ability to turn it into a work of art.
Everyone’s art is unique because everyone’s backgrounds are different, which is the basis of artistic creation. Both visual design and project concepts are based on this logic. Artists are all unique as long as they don’t unthinkingly follow trends.
What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
My favorite thing about this city is the freedom and the respect it shows for the arts. This city impresses me as positive and diverse. They respect young artists and are willing to give them the opportunity to express themselves. Here, I can see the development of various industries that support and integrate with each other, so art is not alone here.
There’s nothing I particularly disliked, but I prefer walking to driving. I’m more used to buildings being close to each other; I can walk somewhere I want to go.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://keyiliu-art.cargo.site
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/edekiow/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/keyi-liu1215/
- Youtube: https://youtu.be/ZTm_AjnTNzk
