The chilling, exaggerated mouths on Kristen M. Liu’s figures overflow with big blocky teeth, as if they didn’t have enough skin or lip to cover up their insides. Through this trademark, uniform grin, Liu’s work suggests that it’s not only useless to try to censor yourself but also counterintuitive — you are your flaws, mistakes, and ugliness, and since all of that that shit is bound to come spilling out anyhow you might as well celebrate it while you can. In addition, her bright psychedelic palette serves to subvert the often violent scenes (a naked man beneath a pendulum axe, a woman cut cleanly in half in an above ground pool) her figures find themselves a part of, inviting in a playfulness that verges on unnerving in sheer comparison to the terror being depicted. Her style is both visceral and whimsical, and recently we got a chance to sit down and talk in more depth about her work and why she chooses to embrace humor and the grotesque.
Do you get inspiration for your work from books?
Not subject matter-wise. I don’t even know directly, but I guess it challenges me to think more. Hopefully it shows up in my work.
Do you get inspiration from fairy tales? I ask because of “Little Red Riding Hood.”
That piece was actually done because they specifically asked me to do a legend. I love fairytales, but I don’t think I paint too many.
“Don’t Bleed On My Bra,” “Beautiful Smiles Are In,” the sisters one, and “Is My Thong Red?” are all such great pieces to me. I think period blood jokes are kind of hilarious, but I also think very few people appreciate that. Is that a feminist statement of sorts?
I definitely consider myself a feminist, but I just think gross things are hilarious in general. In my sketches I just try to do stupid, gross things. As for periods, I’m always like, everyone leaks! [laughs] I think it’s really funny to address it. Why ignore that? We’re females and we bleed out of our cooches for like a week. We’re not all dainty.
When did you realize that you could pursue art for a living?
In high school. I had always liked art, I had a lucky pencil and would always draw with it when I was little. I always wanted to be a doctor, for some reason. My aunt was a doctor so I really looked up to her … we’re Asian! [laughs] I realized I didn’t really like high school, and even though I thought it was easy I realized that med school would be more challenging. I was like, “Well, I like art and I’m good at it.” So I decided to go to art school.
Interview by Alex Martinez. Follow her on Twitter @xxalexm.
Artist introduction by Justin Davis. Follow him on Twitter @yeahjustindavis.
