Grandma (Translation)
祖母 近現代 劉虹 油畫 (Primary Title)
Hung Liu 劉虹, American, born China, 1948 – 2021 (Artist)
Hung Liu, considered one of the most important Chinese American artists, devoted her life to exploring subjects that reflect history, memory, and the lives of ordinary people. Liu moved to the United States in 1984 to pursue graduate studies at the University of California, San Diego. This portrait was created in two phases. First in 1993, Liu worked from a historical photograph of her grandmother, Wang Jushou (1890–1979). The monumental scale, dignified pose, and serene appearance all suggest the figure’s inner power and her importance to the artist. Twenty years later, in 2013, Liu added to the blouse the scenes of Mount Qianshan in northeast China, including trees, rocks, and two Zen Buddhist temples. These details pay homage to Liu’s grandfather, Liu Weihua (1894–1962), a scholar and lay Buddhist who committed his life to studying Mount Qianshan’s cultural history. The wooden panels attached to the chest depict traditional performing scenes. With compassion and insight, Liu conveys her intent of empowering working women to honor their contributions to family and society.
You Can’t Go Home Again, Donna Beam Gallery at the University of Las Vegas, NV, 1996
Hung Liu: Qian Shan - Grandfather’s Mountain, Nancy Hoffman Gallery, New York, 2013
Portraits of Promised Lands, National Portrait Gallery, DC, 2021
Can You See Me Now? Painting the Aging Body, RYAN LEE, New York, 2023
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