Beili is a Chinese-American artist born in Jilin, China and lives and works in Austin, Texas. Currently, she is an assistant professor of Art at the university of Texas at Austin. Beili is an exceptional artist whose installations and 2D works can leave you dumbstruck. Specially, the concepts and the ideas she uses in each of her projects are mind boggling. You give a look to any of her projects and you're bound to think of the materials and the ideas behind them. Unless, you won't read about them, you won't understand and once you read their explanations, it will definitely amaze you.

"As one who comes from the East and lives in the West, I have experienced two distinct and often contradictory value systems. These experiences constantly influence each other, at times creates conflicts in my life, yet other times offer great inspirations for my work", shares the artist.

Lets know more about this great artist Beili Liu, our 'Artist Of The Week':

Beili, please introduce yourself to E-junkies. Tell us a bit about your background as an artist.

I am a Chinese American artist and work primarily with process-based installations. My work has followed two parallel paths: conceptualization and discovery through materials and process, and examination of my cultural background in an effort to create work that bridges cultural differences.

As a Chinese-American artist, I am more intrigued by the similarities and connections that I observe of various cultures than their differences. I believe that it is my responsibility as an artist, to bring attention to what we share that is often overlooked, rather than to focus on the divides between. Based on my interest in creating work that bridges cultural differences, I work with projects that speak of universal human conditions and experiences that surpass our differences, and often fuses the seemingly opposite into one, the alien and the familiar, life and death, uncertainty and hope.

The concept you use in your projects differ from each other. How do you choose a particular concept? What influences your choice of basic design and materials?

Often the concept of a project comes from my exploration with the materials. Other times it is inspired by a specific space.

There are also some projects that comes from an on-going interest with certain cultural subjects or contents, such as the Lure Series and the Mending Project, which started with the Chinese scissors, an object I am familiar with growing up in China.

'The Mending Project' by you is commendable. What do you intend to convey through this project?

The installation consists of hundreds of Chinese scissors suspended from the ceiling, pointing downwards. The hovering, massive cloud of scissors alludes to distant fear, looming violence and worrisome uncertainty. The performer sits beneath the countless sharp blades of the scissors, and performs an on-going simple task of mending.

Simple and minute actions, if persistent, may initiate the hope of trust and healing in the most troubled times. The overwhelming situation presented in The Mending Project is balanced and softened by the silent persistence of a simple mending action. The large quantity and intense force of the scissors elevate the confrontation between the objects and the performer. The installation/performance evokes urgency, concern, and fear, while simultaneously influence viewers through the calming and healing aura of the mending action.

As each visitor enters the space, one is asked to cut off a piece of the white cloth hung near the entrance, and offer the cut section to the performer. She then continuously sews the cut pieces onto the previous ones. The mended fabric grows in size throughout the duration of the performance, and takes over the vast area of the floor beneath the scissors.

Tell us about your '237 minutes' project. How did you do it and how was the experience doing this project?

I positioned a piece of burning charcoal on a stack of wax paper. The exchange and transformation between the heat and the material is recorded in each layer of paper. Time is in visually illustrated by the subtly transitioning sheets of charred wax paper. The process took 237 minutes.

'Red Thread Legend Series' is a work of patience and extreme hard work. Would you like to share something about this piece of work?

The ancient Chinese legend of the red thread tells that when children are born, invisible red threads connect them to the ones whom they are fated to be with. Over the years of their lives they come closer and eventually find each other, overcoming the distance between, and cultural and social divides.

Red Thread Legend Series is a group of installations inspired by this tale. There are a number of pieces within this series, and Lure/Forest is the first project of the group.

The installation makes use of thousands of hand spiraled coils of red thread suspended from the ceiling of the gallery. Each disk is connected to another, as a “couple”, and each pair is made from a single thread. Every coil is pierced in the center by a sewing needle, which enables the suspension of the disks a few inches from the ground. Subtle air currents set the red disks swaying and turning slowly as the loose strands of thread on the floor drift and become entangled.

Which installation has been the most exciting for you to work on?

Currently, the Mending Project. Performance is certainly a new territory for me. The project calls for the real time action, which elevates the energy of the charged space within the installation.

What's next? Currently, what are you working on?

I have just finished the Mending Project, and am in the stage of documenting and mentally processing this new work. Often times that I feel the need to study and understand a new piece that is just completed. I have a number of future projects in mind. I am experimenting with various materials, such as silk fiber and ink.

Beili, thanks for taking out time to talk to us. You're a great artist and a role model to other artists. We wish you all the very best!

The above projects are just tip of the iceberg. Check out more projects by her on Liu's website.

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