Beauty & Nature
Ziqian’s work is self-portraiture, where she combines her body with plants and mirrors, constantly exploring the balanced state of peaceful coexistence between humans and nature. Her works rarely show her face creating an anonymous body to the viewer. Ziqian is currently based in Shanghai, we caught up with her to find out more about her works.
Interview Sufiyeh Hadian, Photography Ziqian Liu
What began your journey as a photographer?
To be honest, I wouldn’t say I’m a professional photographer. I was very anxious after I graduated, so I went on a trip with my friends. Whilst travelling, I bought my first camera and I found photography to be an easy outlet. I became more and more intrigued by photography. Since I’m quite introverted and like to be alone on weekdays, it is easy and interesting to record and create artworks, which can be done independently. At the same time, photography calms my mind, which is one of the reasons why it attracts me.
“I try to use the simplest pictures to create a small world which is calm but not flat.”
How would you describe your work?
I try to use the simplest pictures to create a small world which is calm but not flat. I also hope to show the external softness and delicacy of women and their inner strength. Tenderness and tenacity coexist, which is also one of my expectations for myself.
What do the props in your work represent? How do they fit into your concept?
The props in my works are mainly plants and mirrors, which are related to the themes of my shoot – they represent the symbiosis between human and nature. Human beings and other creatures in nature live in the same world, breathe the same air, depend on each other, tolerate each other, and to a certain extent, all things are equal. I try to find a state of balance and symbiosis between human and nature in my works, because only in this state can beauty be truly reflected. This is why all my works are shot under natural light, to reflect the most natural and organic state.
“I try to find a state of balance and symbiosis between human and nature.”
The other theme is about perspective. Often things we are familiar with will stay in our minds in a fixed image, but everything has two sides, I shoot through the mirror to convey the same thing from different angles, where there will be different findings.
Is it a conscious decision to not show your full face in your self-portraits?
The reason of hidden in the images is I hope my face is not the main part of my work. I think no matter whether the facial features are beautiful or not, the attention of the viewer may first be on the face, it is easy to ignore the other elements in the work. Expressing emotions through the face can be very precise and direct, but I would probably prefer to do it indirectly.
Body parts and plants are not as "tagged" as faces. The main character can be anyone, and each viewer will have a different view of the work due to their different experiences, allowing the viewer to participate in the work, I think it's a very interesting thing.
There's a soft femininity to your work, what inspires you?
I grew up in a very harmonious and loving family, my parents are gentle people. I think they have a big influence on me, and they have an indirect influence on the style of my work.
It's often said that a woman creates her own world within art – would you agree with this? How does your work fit into this context?
In the process of creation, the thought is free, everyone can throw the bondage of reality in his world.
In my work, the image in the mirror presents my world. In my heart, what I desire most is symmetry and perfect order, no matter the appearance of things or the communication between people. However, this is too idealistic after all, society is unbalanced, and some imperfection will set off its real existence. In my works, the images in the mirror represent the idealised world I hope for. The integration with the outside just reminds me to respect and recognise the imbalance in the real world, but also to adhere to my own inner order and principles.
What version of the self does your work best portray? (e.g. who we see ourselves to be, who others see us as, and the person we truly are)
There are two selves in my work, one is my truest self when I am alone. This ego will be a bit “Selfish”, just want to leave all the time and energy to my own, and do not care about the views of others, to fully comply with my own wishes.
“In everyday life, the environment can make people anxious and become a slave to emotions.”
The other is a better version of who I want to be. In everyday life, the environment can make people anxious and become a slave to emotions. In my work, I am calm and quiet, which is the ideal state for me.
How does your culture of Chinese traditionalism lend itself to your work?
There is an old Chinese saying: "No rules, no square" , which illustrates the importance of order, which is also related to the theme of my work – order and balance. They will unconsciously show up in my work, and they will indirectly affect my composition and attention to detail. Second, a sense of balance, simplicity and proportion can also make an image looks more comfortable, sometimes it is organic, sometimes it’s done intentionally.
How does your art empower you? How do you wish for it to empower viewers?
I hope my works can take the audience to a small world I created and take time for themselves and pay attention to the details and changes around us.
I think the power comes from the space which belongs to myself as well as to the viewer; when I am shooting, I am completely alone. I think this is when I feel most free, it gives me the power to express myself through the camera.
I want to slow down time, let myself blend with the things around me, find and observe their changes. Live in the moment, wherever it takes me. Like flowers and plants in their natural state – this is why flowers and fruits become derivative parts of my body in my works.
“When I am shooting, I am completely alone. I think this is when I feel most free.”
Nowadays, life is becoming too fast-living, and the environment around us is always very noisy. It’s easy to ignore the small details around us and our emotional state. It has become very rare to have the opportunity to be alone, only in the space we are most familiar with, can we be our most authentic selves. But by being able to perceive and recognise the subtle changes of things around us means accepting the new self.
READ NEXT
