Ziqian Liu: Reflections
June 30th, 2020
Gentle, ethereal and feminine, artist Ziqian Liu’s self-portraits reflect on a sense of self and personal strength. Through work which is perfectly balanced and aesthetically pure, she has found herself a dedicated online following. We spoke to the artist to discuss how her images are made, and her unique ability for creating visual space for personal expression.
POL: To start, we’d love to know more about you! You have very a personal and self-reflexive style, focusing on self-portraiture, what drew you to photography as a means of expression?
ZL: I became more and more attracted to photography when I discovered it was the the easiest way to release my emotions. I am not a photography major. At first, my goal was to find a regular and stable job. Everyone has their disappointments, and during that time I traveled with friends for a while. I bought my first camera during that journey. From then on, I found that a camera, which could record and create and allow me to complete independent projects, was very interesting. I could take images and at the same time, photography can calm my mind, which is one of the main reasons why it attracts me.
“ In a space which we are familiar with, our emotions can be fully released. Through talking with ourselves, we can get to know our innermost true self. ”
POL: Previously you’ve said that your work creates a small world, one that is “calm but not flat” - can you talk in some more detail about the space you construct through your imagery?
ZL: I think this space belongs to myself as well as the viewer.
First of all, for me, whether it is in the process of taking photography or by seeing my own photography works, I will have a sense of belonging. In this small world, I naturally shed some of my shackles. These constraints are emblematic of some of the petty and messy thoughts in my life, so space and time are completely my own here. A place where I can express what I want to very purely; so it's really a brain release.
For the viewer, I hope everyone can step into my little world, to bring themselves into the work. This is why I always hide my face. I think once a face is in the image, the viewer's attention will always be on the face first - it's easy to overlook the other elements in the work. A facial expression of emotion will always be very precise and direct, but I prefer to convey emotion in an indirect way.
Instead I use body parts and plants, they are not as "labeled" as faces, therefore the protagonist in the picture can be anyone. Each viewer has a different take-away from the work due to his/her own different experiences.
POL: There are clear themes at play in your work, one that’s very strong is a relationship between humans and nature. You shoot by natural light and intertwine your feminine form with flowers, leaves and fruit, creating a natural harmony; would you say this is a political or ecological statement?
ZL: I wish my work to be apolitical.
I use the body and flowers as a mirror of each other. The images are a kind of fusion, representing a women's exploration of self, life and surrounding elements. They also show a woman’s independent personality and attitude, and have an abundance of emotion with a broad range of expression. They prove that recording this cannot just be confined to images of the face, everything around the body and life is good and worth recording.
My works are just like my expectations for myself. I’m hoping that my image and state of self can coexist with gentleness and strength.
POL: In creating your images, you frequently use mirrors giving the audience new and fragmented perspectives on your forms. When you construct your images, how do decide what to highlight in them?
ZL: As an excellent shooting prop, the mirror will present a very unique visual effect. Since one of the themes of my works is about the symbiosis between human and nature, the most prominent part in my images is the connection between the characters and plants. Most of the time, I will try my best to find the most accurate position between myself and the plants in the mirror, and it usually takes dozens of attempts to get the angle I am satisfied with.
The mirror gives another visual perspective, showing that I hope I can follow the order and principles in my heart and at the same time integrate with the things around me.
“Whether it is in the process of taking photography or by seeing my own photography works, I will have a sense of belonging. In this small world, I naturally shed some of my shackles. ”
POL: Each of your images has a minimal perfectionism, what is the process you go through when creating work?
ZL: Some people like to make sketches before creation, and some people like to find some references in advance. I like to combine and match all the necessary scenes, props, compositions and characters' posture in my mind by pure imagination, and then record the final pictures.
It is a very physical test for me to bring the imaginary picture into the real world. In order to ensure that the mirror can accurately reflect the expected thing, I want to find the angle and will try many times. Sometimes there is a big difference between the imagination and the actual operation, so I will adjust the original shooting plan temporarily. The whole process is really hard, but it is very satisfying to see my final results.
POL: Pervious interviews with you have highlighted ideas such as hanxu and the saying old Chinese saying “No rules, no square”. Would you say your background and cultural history have fed into your aesthetic?
ZL: For me, the most direct influence is my interest in artistic conception and indirect beauty. Secondly my appreciation of rigorous and orderly images.
POL: You have a large dedicated Instagram following, how have you found discovering and honing your style whilst sharing with others? Instagram creates a kind of living archive of works for all to see - can you see a difference between your early work and work you’re producing now?
ZL: To be honest, when I see the early works, it is just like the diary of my childhood, I will feel shy but very precious. But slowly, turning to the present, I find that through the images I become aware of my own growth.
In the early stage of photography, I had no clear expectations and standards for the creation style. I just followed my own feelings; I would try different styles with reference to the works of other photographers. As a result of having been in the state of half-learning half fumbling, my own style slowly began to become unified. During the process of image shooting and processing, I have been looking for the best combination of image content, composition and color, trying to find the most comfortable and quiet state, in this process, my style gradually formed.
POL: Your work can both evoke feelings of loneliness and yet beauty - at a time when many people internationally are struggling with forced isolation, what does loneliness mean to you? Can loneliness bring about positive change?
ZL: Nowadays the rhythm of our life is getting faster and faster. The surrounding environment is always very noisy, so it is easy to ignore the small details around us and our true feelings. I think solitude can be used for enjoyment, and enjoying solitude is also the process of discovering beauty. It's also very rare to have the opportunity to be alone, to spend time with everything around us and to see how it changes. In a space which we are familiar with, our emotions can be fully released. Through talking with ourselves, we can get to know our innermost true self.
POL: What are you working on right now? What’s next for you?
ZL: At present, I am still creating more works. Through the premise of maintaining my own style, I am trying new shooting methods, hoping to break through myself.
About Ziqian Liu
Ziqian Liu (b. 1990) is a freelance photographer from China, based in Shanghai. She studied in London and Sydney and graduated with a major in communication management.
Liu’s work has been exhibited at Galerie Joseph Turenne, Paris, 2019, and the Exhibition of Photography in Reality and Instagram Continuum, Hong Kong, 2019. Alongside publication in many international magazines and publications, including: Elle China, Feature Shoot, Playboy, Rtriptogo, Eyeso, Neocha, Medium, Aesthesiamag, and Visual Atelier 8.