Crystal Liu: Before I Ever Dreamed You
New York Gallery
Chinese-Canadian artist Crystal Liu exhibits new paintings and collages on paper and works “painted” with felted wool in her first solo exhibition in New York. Liu transforms elements of nature: the night, stars, clouds, fleshy mountains, willow trees, blood, water, owls, octopuses into a lexicon of characters that enact extraordinary tales based on her private joys and sorrows.
Lacy, floral patterns and charming creatures belie impending peril. Flood waters threaten fragile weeping willow trees. Blood drips from a house shattered by the falling night. “Family trees” are made literal as they come to life, but the houses perched in their branches must camouflage themselves in protective leaves.
Liu’s work can be likened to Chinese landscape painting, in which every stroke and image is layered with meaning. But she subverts the serenity of these traditional scenes with violent forces. Liu’s choice of materials, including fabric, gold leaf, felt, and textured paper, provides a subtle balance between seduction, humor and the macabre.
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Crystal LiuOut of Love "shall I change for you?", 2006paper, ink, marker and watercolor on paper15 x 15 inches
38.1 x 38.1 cms -
Crystal LiuOut of Love "will you give me everything?", 2006paper, ink, marker and watercolor on paper15 x 15 inches
38.1 x 38.1 cms -
Crystal LiuOut of Love "you will give me goosebumps", 2006paper, ink, marker and watercolor on paper15 x 15 inches
38.1 x 38.1 cms -
Crystal LiuOut of Love "I will wash up to you", 2006paper, ink, marker and watercolor on paper15 x 15 inches
38.1 x 38.1 cms -
Crystal LiuRemember When We Used to Dream "Overcome", 2006conte, paper, marker and ink on paper31.25 x 21.5 inches
79.4 x 54.6 cms -
Crystal Liuremember when we used to dream, 'underwent', 2006conte, paper, marker and ink on paper31 1/4 x 21 1/2 inches
79.4 x 54.6 cms -
Crystal LiuRemember When We Used To Dream 'Overwhelm', 2006conte, paper, marker and ink on paper31.25 x 21.5 inches
79.4 x 54.6 cms -
Crystal Liu"There is Something In the Water", 2006handmade book11.75 x 11.75 x .75 inches
29.8 x 29.8 x 1.9 cms -
Crystal LiuPrelude to Where the Animal Lives "so lonely", 2006felted wool and embroidery thread19.5 x 27 x .125 inches
49.5 x 68.6 x 0.3 cms -
Crystal LiuPrelude to Where the Animal Lives "taking a drink", 2006felted wool and embroidery thread20 x 28 x .125 inches
50.8 x 71.1 x 0.3 cms -
Crystal LiuPrelude to Where the Animal Lives "pink explosion", 2006felted wool and embroidery thread18.25 x 26 x .125 inches
46.4 x 66 x 0.3 cms -
Crystal LiuPrelude to Where the Animal Lives "pink, falls", 2006felted wool and embroidery thread18.5 x 25.5 x .125 inches
47 x 64.8 x 0.3 cms -
Crystal LiuPrelude to Where the Animal Lives "pink storm", 2006felted wool and embroidery thread22 x 28.5 x .125 inches
55.9 x 72.4 x 0.3 cms -
Crystal Liumy buttercream clouds, 'pushing through', 2005ink and marker on paper29 x 23 inches
32 3/ x 26 3/4 inches framed
73.66 x 58.42 cms -
Crystal LiuFor Love 'The Forest Fire' [diptych], 2006watercolor, marker and gouache on paper2 panels, 30 x 23 inches each
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Crystal LiuFor Love "The Confession', 2006watercolor, marker and gouache on paper23 x 30 inches
58.4 x 76.2 cms -
Crystal LiuFor Love 'The Mountains and the Waters', 2006watercolor, marker and gouache on paper23 x 30 inches
58.4 x 76.2 cms -
Crystal LiuThe Forest Fire 'Weeping Willow, am I late? asked one Buttercream Cloud', 2006watercolor, ink on paper14.875 x 14.875 inches
37.8 x 37.8 cms -
Crystal LiuThe Forest Fire 'Weeping Willow 7', 2006watercolor, ink on paper14.875 x 14.875 inches
37.8 x 37.8 cms -
Crystal LiuThe Forest Fire 'Weeping Willow, I will comfort you, said the Buttercream Clouds', 2006watercolor, ink on paper14.875 x 14.875 inches
37.8 x 37.8 cms -
Crystal LiuThe Forest Fire 'Weeping Willow 6', 2006watercolor, ink on paper14.875 x 14.875 inches
37.8 x 37.8 cms -
Crystal LiuThe Forest Fire 'Weeping Willow 5', 2006watercolor, ink on paper14.875 x 14.875 inches
37.8 x 37.8 cms -
Crystal LiuThe Forest Fire 'Weeping Willow 5', 2006watercolor, ink on paper14.875 x 14.875 inches
37.8 x 37.8 cms -
Crystal LiuThe Forest Fire 'Weeping Willow 3', 2006watercolor, ink on paper14.875 x 14.875 inches
37.8 x 37.8 cms -
Crystal LiuThe Forest Fire 'Weeping Willow 4', 2006watercolor, ink on paper14.875 x 14.875 inches
37.8 x 37.8 cms -
Crystal LiuThe Ground Shook for Him 'Holding Still', 2006paper, watercolor and ink on paper22 x 22 inches
55.9 x 55.9 cms -
Crystal LiuThe Ground Shook for Him 'Losing Grip', 2006paper, watercolor and ink on paper22 x 22 inches
55.9 x 55.9 cms -
Crystal LiuThe Ground Shook for Him 'The Golden Tree', 2006paper, watercolor and ink on paper22 x 22 inches
55.9 x 55.9 cms -
Crystal LiuBefore I Ever Dreamed You, 'Everything Fell Together', 2006gouache, watercolor and gold leaf on paper15 x 11.25 inches
38.1 x 28.6 cms -
Crystal LiuBefore I Ever Dreamed You,' The Night Fell into the Stars', 2006gouache, watercolor and gold leaf on paper15 x 11.25 inches
38.1 x 28.6 cms -
Crystal LiuBefore I Ever Dreamed You. 'The Stars Fell First', 2006gouache, watercolor and gold leaf on paper15 x 11.25 inches
38.1 x 28.6 cms -
Crystal LiuBefore I Ever Dreamed You, 'An Explosion Happened', 2006gouache, watercolor & gold leaf on paper15 x 11.25 inches
38.1 x 28.6 cms -
Crystal LiuBefore I Ever Dreamed You, 'There Was a Sea of Stars', 2006gouache, watercolor and gold leaf on paper15 x 11.25 inches
38.1 x 28.6 cms -
Crystal LiuBefore I Ever Dreamed You, 'Rock Bottom', 2006gouache watercolor and collage on paper15 x 11.25 inches
38.1 x 28.6 cms -
Crystal LiuBefore I Ever Dreamed You, 'About to Shatter', 2006gouache & watercolor on paper15 x 11.25 inches
38.1 x 28.6 cms -
Crystal LiuBefore I Ever Dreamed You, 'Houses', 2006gouache and watercolor on paper15 x 11.25 inches
38.1 x 28.6 cms -
Crystal Liu"On a Day So Calm, 'where is your resting place so high II' ", 2006ink, marker, gouache and collage on paper15 x 15 inches
38.1 x 38.1 cms -
Crystal Liu"On a Day So Calm, 'as it got dark, the water stopped' ", 2006ink, marker, gouache and collage on paper15 x 15 inches
38.1 x 38.1 cms -
Crystal Liu"On a Day So Calm, 'there will be no lullabies' ", 2006ink, marker, gouache and collage on paper15 x 15 inches
38.1 x 38.1 cms -
Crystal Liu"On a Day So Calm, 'as it got dark, you awoke up high' ", 2006ink, marker, gouache and collage on paper15 x 15 inches
38.1 x 38.1 cms -
Crystal Liu"My Buttercream Clouds 'dangling low are the clouds' ", 2005ink and marker on paper9 x 11.5 x 20 inches
22.9 x 29.2 x 50.8 cms