FOUNDRY
Pixy Liao
CV

Pixy Liao

b.1979
Based in Tokyo, JP

도쿄를 기반으로 활동하는 픽시 랴오(b. 1979)는 사진, 설치, 퍼포먼스를 아우르는 다원 예술 작가다. 그녀의 작업은 특유의 재치와 함께 역사적·대중적 참조를 활용하며, 특히 구성에 대한 예리한 감각을 바탕으로 성별과 섹슈얼리티, 관계, 그리고 일상 경험을 둘러싼 고정관념을 해체한다. 친밀하면서도 때로 도발적이며, 언제나 부드럽게 전통적 위계를 전복하는 작가의 작업은 끊임없이 ‘극단적 가능성’을 실험하며 삶에 대한 탐구를 이어간다.

픽시 랴오는 여러 도시의 다양한 기관에서 개인전과 프로젝트를 진행했다. 주요 개인전으로는 2025년 Art Institute of Chicago의 《Pixy Liao: Relationship Material》, 2023년 멜버른 Centre for Contemporary Photography의 《Experimental Relationship》, 2022년 에스토니아 탈린 Fotografiska의 《Your Gaze Belongs to Me》, 2019년 아를 Rencontres d’Arles의 《UNE RELATION EXPÉRIMENTALE》 등이 있다. 또한 2025년 홍콩 M+, 2022년 뉴욕 아시아 소사이어티, 2020년 시드니 호주 국립미술관 등 다수 기관의 그룹전에 참여했으며, Light Work, Lower Manhattan Cultural Council, CPW(Center for Photography at Woodstock), University of the Arts London, School of Visual Arts, Pioneer Works, Camera Club of New York 등 다양한 레지던시 프로그램에 참여하며 활발한 활동을 이어가고 있다.

Pixy Liao (b. 1979) is a multidisciplinary artist working across photography, installation, and performance. Liao’s work employs wit, historical and popular references—and, most of all—her keen eye for composition to deconstruct stereotypes surrounding gender, sexuality, relationships, and the everyday experience. Liao’s practice is often intimate, sometimes risqué, and always sweetly subversive, turning traditional hierarchies on their heads as she examines life through ongoing experimentation and an exploration of “extreme possibilities.” She is currently based in Tokyo.

Pixy Liao has held solo exhibitions at institutions around the world, including Pixy Liao: Relationship Material, The Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago (2025); Experimental Relationship, Centre for Contemporary Photography, Melbourne (2023); Your Gaze Belongs to Me, Fotografiska, Tallinn (2022); UNE RELATION EXPÉRIMENTALE, Rencontres d’Arles, Arles (2019); among others. Her work has been shown in group exhibitions at institutions such as M+, Hong Kong (2025); Asia Society, New York (2022); National Gallery of Australia, Sydney (2020); and many more. Liao has also participated in artist residencies at Light Work, the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council, the Center for Photography at Woodstock, the University of the Arts London, the School of Visual Arts, Pioneer Works, and the Camera Club of New York.

exhibitions
works
CV

1979       

born in Shanghai, CN

 

Now       

lives and works in Tokyo, JP

 

EDUCATION

2008      

MFA, Photography, University of Memphis, Memphis, US

 

SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2025      

Pixy Liao: Relationship Material, The Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, US (curated by Yechen Zhao)

 

2024      

Between Us, Museum MORE, Gorssel, NL (curated by Sito Rozema)

Opening, L21 Gallery, Palma, ES

Pixy Liao: Comfort Zone, Blindspot Gallery, HK

 

2023

Pixy Liao: Experimental Relationship, Centre for Contemporary Photography, Melbourne, AU

Day Dream, Stieglitz 19, Antwerpen, BE

The woman who clicks the shutter, Galeria, Bucharest, RO

 

2022

Piano Duet, L21 Gallery, Barcelona, ES

Your Gaze Belongs to Me, Fotografiska, Tallinn, EE (curated by Holly Roussell)

Futari (Two Persons), Light Work, Syracuse, US (curated by Mary Lee Hodgens)

 

2021

Your Gaze Belongs to Me, Stockholm, SE (curated by Holly Roussell)

Your Gaze Belongs to Me, Fotografiska, New York, US (curated by Holly Roussell)

 

2020

Choose Your Own Adventure, SCOPE Hannover Biennial, Hannover, DE

Experimental Relationship (for your eyes only, or maybe mine, too), Centre A: Vancouver International Centre for Contemporary Asian Art, Vancouver, CA (curated by Henry Lu)

Two Heads, Stieglitz 19, Antwerpen, BE

 

2019       

Carry the Weight of You, Galleri Vasli Souza, Oslo, NO

UNE RELATION EXPÉRIMENTALE, the Rencontres d’Arles, Arles, FR

Experimental Relationship, Fotografia Europea, Reggio Emilia, IT

Open Kimono, Chambers Fine Art, New York, US

 

2018       

Pixy Liao, Jimei x Arles International Photo Festival, Xiamen, CN (curated by Holly Roussell)

 

2017       

Lady and Gentleman, Galleri Vasli Souza, Malmö, SE

 

2016       

Venus as a Boy, Leo Xu Projects, Shanghai, CN

Some Words Are Just Between Us, First Draft Gallery, Sydney, AU

 

2013       

Let’s Make Love, Camera Club of New York, New York, US

 

2011       

Memphis, Tennessee, Chinese American Art Council, New York, US       

 

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2025      

Primera Prueba – Collective Exhibition, Pixy Liao, Jordi Ribes, Álvaro Gil, Jan Hakon Erichsen and Óscar Florit, La Caja, Madrid, ES

Tender Comrade, White Rabbit, Sydney, AU

Picasso for Asia—A Conversation, M+ Museum, HK

Facial Recognition, Jane Lombard Gallery, New York, US (curated by Barbara Pollack)

 

2024      

Shanghai: Capital of Photography 1910s – 2020s, Minsheng Art Museum, Shanghai, CN (curated by Guzheng)

Love is Louder, Bozar, Brussels, BE

 INSIDE VIEWS. CONTEMPORARY PHOTOGRAPHY FROM CHINA, WestLicht Photography Museum in cooperation with Alexander Tutsek Stiftung, Vienna, AT

 

2023      

X MUSEUM TRIENNIAL 2023: HOME IS WHERE THE HAUNT IS, X Museum, Beijing, CN

FAMILY (OF CHOICE). THOSE WHO WE ARE, Kunstmuseum Ravensburg, Ravensburg, DE

Personal: A New Form of Documentary Photography, Shanghai Center of Photography, Shanghai, CN (curated by Karen Smith)

 

2022      

I have not loved (enough or worked), Art Gallery of Western Australia, Perth, AU

Unmasking Masculinity for the 21st Century, Kalamazoo Institute of Arts, Michigan, US

I LOVED YOU, White Rabbit Gallery, Sydney, AU

Mirror Image: A Transformation of Chinese Identity, Asia Society, New York, US (curated by Babara Pollack and Han Hongzheng)

CHOSEN FAMILY – LESS ALONE TOGETHER, Fotomuseum Winterthur, Zurich, CH

You can call it love, Photolux Festival, Lucca, IT

Focus on Women Photographers, Foto Wien Festival, Vienna, AT

 

2020      

Propositions for Alternative Narratives, Photoworks Festival, Brighton, UK

Home Sweet Home, Kunstforum der TU Darmstadt, Darmstadt, DE

China Reimagined, Breda Photo, Breda, NL (curated by He Yining and Ruben Lundgren)

The Body Electric, National Gallery of Australia, Sydney, AU (curated by Dr. Shaune Lakin)

 

2019       

Photography in Memphis, Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, Memphis, US

What a Genderful World, Wereldmuseum Amsterdam, Amsterdam, NL

The Kind Stranger, UNArt Center, Shanghai, CN (curated by Xiaodong Yan)

Kinship, Open Eye Gallery, Liverpool, UK

 

2018       

MUSE MUSE, Czech Center New York, New York, US

Disobedient Daughters, Metro Arts, Brisbane, AU

 

2017       

NSFW: FEMALE GAZE, Museum of Sex, New York, US

A New Ballardian Vision, Chapter 1, Metro Pictures, New York, US (curated by Leo Xu)

 

2016      

Out Frames, Museo d’Arte Moderna di Bologna, Bologna, IT

Bagism, chi K11 Art Museum, Shanghai, CN

WECHAT: A Dialogue in Contemporary Chinese Art, Asia Society Texas Center, Houston, US (curated by Barbara Pollack)

 

2015

No Holds Barred—Young Contemporary Art from China, OPEN ART Biennial, Örebro, SE (curated by Boyi Feng and Lars Jonnson)

 

2014

Double Vision, He Xiangning Art Museum, Shenzhen, CN (curated by Boyi Feng)

 

2012       

Span of Vision, VT Gallery, Taipei, TW

 

2010       

Irrelevant: Local Emerging Asian Artists Who Don’t Make Work About Being Asian, Arario Gallery, New York, US

 

RESIDENCIES

2023       

Artist in Residence, La Residencia, Mallorca, ES

 

2019       

Artist in Residence, SVA RisoLAB, New York, US

 

2018

Artist Residency, University of the Arts London in collaboration with NYFA, London, UK

 

2016

Artist Residency, Pioneer Works, Brooklyn, US

 

2015

Artist Residency, Light Work, Syracuse, US

 

2013

Darkroom Residency, Camera Club of New York, US

 

2012

Artist Residency, LMCC Workspace Residency Program, New York, US

 

2010

Artist Residency, Center for Photography at Woodstock, Woodstock, US

 

AWARDS

2020      

FCA Emergency Grants, Foundation for Contemporary Arts, US  

   

2018

Individual Artist Awards, The Santo Foundation, US

Madame Figaro Women Photographers Award, Jimei x Arles International Photo Festival, FR

 

2014       

Prix Virginia Jury’s Choice, FR

Latent Talent, SCAN-Tarragona, ES

 

2013       

Fellowship in Photography, New York Foundation for the Arts, US

 

2012       

New Works Awards Fellowship, En Foco, New York, US

 

COLLECTION

Alexander Tutsek – Stiftung, Munich

Art Gallery of Western Australia, Perth

Franklin Furnace Archive, New York

Fundació Carmen & Lluís Bassat, Barcelona

Fundación MEDIANOCHE0, Granada

Fort Wayne Museum of Arts, Fort Wayne

He Xiangning Art Museum, Shenzhen

Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art, Ithaca

Kalamazoo Institute of Arts, Kalamazoo

Light Work, Syracuse

M+, Hong Kong

Memphis International Airport, Memphis

Møllersamlingen, Oslo

Museum of Fine Arts, Houston