Hsing-Yu Liu 劉 星佑（リュウ・セイユウ）

Liu Hsing Yu's work often touches on themes of agriculture, ecosystems, and gender equality. In 2009, after returning to his childhood home in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, Liu discovered his parents' 1984 wedding photo and the suit his father was wearing in the photo. This discovery marked the beginning of his career as a photographer. In his series My Parents, he dressed his mother in the suit and his father in a dress, staging wedding photos that blur the line between reality and fantasy. In this way, Liu not only reflects the changes that occurred during his parents' marriage, he also questions stereotypes about gender.

Liu's photographs depict familiar scenes of everyday life, such as scenery of his hometown, seasonal rural events, and family memories, but they also have a thoughtfulness and humor that draws people's attention to the issues he focuses on. The dreamlike tones produced by the unique palette of his film camera contrast with the reality that sexual minorities face, inviting the viewer to enter the space between dreams and reality.

In The Address is No Longer Valid, which was derived from My Parents, Liu sets out to inform his ancestors of the legalization of same-sex marriage in Taiwan, placing his family in a broader historical and social context by researching their addresses in old family records and visiting the locations where his father completed his military service. In this way, the series reflects the relationship between the individual and society, and between the past and the present. The calligraphy and seals incorporated alongside the photographs evoke traditions and norms, deepening the artist's exploration of his roots and identity.

In this exhibition, the story begins with Liu’s parents’ 1984 ‘marriage’ and 2010 ‘remarriage’ photographs. His parents’ social gender reversal intersects with Liu's own ‘homecoming,’ overlapping with his coming out and pursuit of art, and becoming a journey back to himself.

Text by Mu-Wei Huang