tune in virtually on 29 may at 11.00 (cdt) for an in-depth conversation between artist liu xiaodong and writer and investigative journalist alice driver on the making of xiaodong’s exhibition, borders. this discussion will delve into the artist’s research trips to the u.s.-mexico border in 2019, focusing on the communities he immersed himself in, the process behind the making of works for this exhibition, as well as exploring some of the urgent topics present in the new works on view at dallas contemporary.
alice driver, known for her long-form reporting on prevalent topics including immigration and labor rights, accompanied xiaodong and his documentary team along the u.s.-mexico border in 2019, making introductions to local community members and helping plot their course across the divided, southern landscape. during their journey, driver documented xiaodong’s travels through detailed journal entries--recounting his interactions with the native land, local community and contemporary societies in-flux on both sides of the rio grande river.
Liu Xiaodong’s painting focuses on the everyday lives of people - he depicts common living conditions in an age of grand social and economic transformations. In recent years, he has travelled extensively to paint from life both in China and abroad, and has had solo exhibitions all over the world, most recently in Italy, Germany, United Kingdom, and Denmark. In recent years, he has turned to global issues, focusing on people from various cultures and countries against the backdrop of globalization today. Aside from China, Liu has painted from life in Italy, Cuba, Japan, Korea, Bangladesh, Thailand, Indonesia, Germany, Britain, and Greenland. In every project, he has come face to face with the living environments of his subjects, expressing his humanistic awareness through paintings as well as diaries and documentaries. Liu has participated in multiple film projects, including Jia Zhangke’s film, “Still Life,” the winner of the 2006 Golden Lion Award for best film, in Venice, Italy. Lately, Liu has collaborated with a technology team to remotely paint with robots. His multi-disciplinary explorations not only call attention to the lives of ordinary people but also challenge the boundaries of traditional oil painting, making him a respected artist around the world
Alice Driver is a writer and investigative journalist who covers immigration and labor rights. based in Mexico City, and she is the author of More or Less Dead (University of Arizona Press, 2015). Her journalism has been published by National Geographic, Time, and Oxford American. She has recently collaborated on migration projects with Chinese neorealist painter Liu Xiaodong, National Geographic photographer John Stanmeyer, and Noble Laureates Jody Williams, Shirin Ebadi, Tawakkol Karman, and Rigoberta Menchú.
