Today we’d like to introduce you to Entung Liu.
Hi Entung, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I am a multidisciplinary artist who was born in Taiwan. I enjoyed drawing, dancing, writing, and any other artistic activity during my childhood. From elementary school to my senior year of high school, I was a member of the Could Gate Dance Company and Art Talent Class, where I received training in both performance and visual art. During this time, I learned to interact with my body, paint classic works of art, and enjoy visual art with art history knowledge. In college, as a Fine Art major, I studied contemporary painting theories, and my art practice switched from material-leading to ideation-leading. I focused on ideas and concepts before selecting media and materials since I believed the artwork’s form should be directly tied to the subject. To express my thoughts, I started experimenting with performance art, photography, video, installations, and new media art. The event sparked my interest in technology, so I decided to pursue a master’s degree in art and technology at New York University’s Interactive Telecommunications Program. Every day, I gained new knowledge, faced new obstacles, and generated new ideas during this thrilling yet overwhelming period. Currently, I am devoted to multidisciplinary artwork that reflects issues of the modern period, while also bringing aesthetic thought to the realm of technology.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I won’t say it’s easy, but I feel the path to pursuing art and creativity is typically challenging in a positive manner. It is the most exciting and invigorating aspect of the creative process to face increasing challenges as one travels into the unknown. It is similar to constructing something and then tearing it apart shortly after completion to make a place for fresh ideas. The procedure may be unpleasant, but it is worthwhile. Given that it is an endless process, you will never feel bored in this regard. Even if there are challenges along the path, I am fortunate to have family and friends who are supportive. I chose to study art at a pretty young age, and my parents have not opposed this decision. It was not a frequent thing in Taiwan because an art degree is seen as useless for job hunting in our culture. In addition to my passions, the support is one of the reasons why I continue to create art, therefore I would like to thank my family, friends, and everyone who is still on the road.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Currently, my work focuses on the confluence of visual art, performance, and technology. I enjoy experimenting with diverse fields and media to discover new possibilities between the boundary. Typically, I define my work as a transparent mirror that displays the absurd moments of daily life and whose reflection obscures the underlying problems beneath the new technology’s dream. Observing and feeling are crucial starting points for my artistic practice, followed by establishing a deep connection between the body and space. Since I have a background in both visual art and performance, I am interested in how adjusting the angle of eyesight through body motions impacts people’s perception of particular things, and I explore this concept through interactive performances. I believe that “everyday life is a stage, and the stage is life.” Participation is a compelling way to deconstruct static social structures and reimagine the world as it currently exists. Regarding the technology side, I am always intrigued by its evolution and how it affects our society now, and how it will reshape the future in the long run; hence, my work explores the connections between identification, technology, nature, and life.
Have you learned any interesting or important lessons due to the Covid-19 Crisis?
Yes! During the pandemic, I spent the majority of my time in my apartment. Even when I went outside, the city was empty and quiet. The way of developing connections with others was distinguished. I primarily spoke with people through screens and was unable to identify their faces. We met online with goals and tasks, but no one was present. Consequently, I began to wonder how to define identity and relationships in the virtual world and experiment with virtual/online exhibitions and performances, such as creating interactive zoom performances, 3D-modeled environments, and live streaming. I created the series <I Am Where I Am>, which combines posed images and movies with performative activities. I photographed the entire series in my home and uploaded it to Instagram weekly for sixteen weeks, with each week focusing on a different part of daily living, such as dining, mirrors, and shaving hair. It is difficult to survive without screens, particularly during the pandemic, therefore I stress them throughout the series. Although the pandemic has lately begun to subside, we continue to rely extensively on technology in nearly every area, and the coverage percentage continues to rise. Inevitably, we shall encounter a world brimming with new technologies, and the pandemic functions as a catalyst, providing a peek at the potential future. However, is this the future that we anticipate? Even as technology advances, human nature, and aspirations remain unchanged. The objective of social media is to connect people; nevertheless, it occasionally disconnects you from those who are physically present. I continue to believe in the potential of technology, despite the fact that there is still room for progress. The pandemic teaches us to appreciate what we once took for granted, and I hope that via my art we can create a more humanized, inclusive, and inventive future for the technology.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://liuentung.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/liu_entung/
