b. 1996, China. Lives and works in London, UK.
Yi Liu draws profound influence from traditional Chinese myths and legends. Her work seeks to interrogate and elucidate the principles of liberty, multiplicity, and inclusivity, alongside the intricate complexities of the individual psyche. Characterized by inherent ambiguity and fluidity, Liu’s art contests and blurs the lines between species and dismantles conventional gender paradigms, expanding and redefining established boundaries. Yi Liu’s oeuvre synthesizes lyrical colour with the classical delineations typical of fresco techniques and a simultaneous variety of brushwork. This fusion is achieved through the use of diverse media, resulting in a visually nebulous aesthetic. This aesthetic metaphorically explores themes of love and freedom, reflecting deeply on the interplay between power structures and social norms.
Yi Liu graduated from the Royal College of Art with an MA Painting in 2024 and was the recipient of a scholarship for both her BFA and MFA at the Central Academy of Fine Arts Beijing. Solo exhibitions include Searching The Mountains, Cob Gallery, London, UK (2024); Group exhibitions include Caper, Greatorex Street, London, UK (2024); Myths & Dreams, Chilli Art Projects, London, UK (2024); The Future of Belonging, Speiro Projects at Noho Venues, London, Uk (2024); Meeting After the First Encounter, Yue Art Museum, Beijing (2021).
EDUCATION
2024 MA Painting, Royal College of Art, London
2025 MFA Painting, Central Academy of Fine Arts, Beijing
2021 BFA Painting, Central Academy of Fine Arts, Beijing
2017 Fine Arts School Affiliated to China Central Academy of Fine Arts, Beijing
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2024 Searching the Mountains, Cob Gallery, London
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2024 Caper, Greatorex Street, London
2024 Myths & Dreams, Chilli Art Projects, London
2024 The Future of Belonging, Speiro Projects at Noho Venues, London
2024 I Lost Something in the Hills, Liliya Art Gallery, London
2024 Mise-en-scène, Safehouse, London
2023 Lawless Imagination, RuptureXIBIT(+Studio), London
2021 Summer Graduate Song, S & C Art Museum, Beijing
2021 Meeting After the First Encounter, Yue Art Museum, Beijing
2021 Central Academy of Fine Arts Graduate Exhibition, CAFA Art Museum, Beijing
2021 Life & Growth, Marley Art Museum, Shanghai
SELECTED AWARDS
2022 Half scholarship for MFA, Central Academy of Fine Arts
2021 Full scholarship for MFA, Central Academy of Fine Arts
2020 First-class Scholarship, Central Academy of Fine Arts
SELECTED RESIDENCES
2018 Youth Art Society, Changzhou
