Our Story
I encountered the powerful work of artist Hung Liu 12 years ago, and began following her work. As a filmmaker, I immediately saw the possibility of expanding the impact of Hung Liu's paintings by harnessing the power of the film medium to reach audiences beyond museums, galleries and public spaces. Hung Liu and I met in her studio in Oakland in November of 2020, and began making plans for this project. We would begin by filming several events in 2021 of this momentous year in her career, with 5 gallery and museum openings, including a 6-decade retrospective exhibit at the National Portrait Gallery at the Smithsonian Museum in Washington, D.C. We filmed in San Francisco on July 14th of 2021, and unfortunately, two weeks later she made the journey beyond. Through the support of her family and members of the art world, we will continue the endeavor of making a film about Liu's life and work.
Hung Liu's paintings capture the intended glory of her subjects. She painted from photographs from her time in the work camps during the Cultural Revolution in China, and later from photographs sourced from the Chinese National Archives. Although her subjects may have been viewed as utilities to their government, such as peasants, comfort women, or those considered to be indigent, she paints them in full splendor and beauty, memorializing them in paintings that dignify their humanity.