Abei LIU Solo Exhibition “FRAGMENTS ODYSSEY”

Among the 40 new works on view, the Intrusion Series incorporates photographs and postcards from the 1950s to the 1970s, sourced from flea markets in Prague. Abei LIU embroiders directly onto the images while preserving the original handwritten messages, postmarks, and other timeworn traces. He also draws inspiration from diverse found materials—such as posters from the Louvre and teddy-bear-themed game boards discovered in second-hand children’s picture books—which he transforms into new derivative works. Throughout the process, LIU not only found joy in the focus and fulfillment of embroidery, but also felt his travel memories being quietly summoned, briefly resurfacing with vivid clarity. 

In 2014, Abei LIU created the character MASKBOY, who now takes center stage as the protagonist of an imagined adventure on a deserted island. Bring It On! presents a 2-meter-tall MASKBOY standing upright, a wooden stick slung over his shoulder, looking dashing and confidently confronting unknown challenges. His body is crafted mainly from grayscale fabrics, with T-shirt patterns serving as color blocks. In Mask Fam's Odyssey, MASKBOY is depicted in a fierce fight for survival, with the T-shirt patterns deconstructed and rearranged to create a visually dynamic effect. Other works in the series include Not Just Me and Wanna be my friend?. Together with the colorful Whisperocks series, these pieces introduce narrative elements that expand the imaginative space of the deserted island life. LIU hopes his creations evoke a relaxed, intuitive experience that lets each viewer interpret the island adventure in their own way.