Interview: Yating Liu
Luca Curci talks with Yating Liu during ROME INTERNATIONAL ART FAIR 8th Edition at Medina Art Gallery, and during VENICE INTERNATIONAL ART FAIR 17th Edition at Palazzo Albrizzi-Capello.

Yating Liu holds a BFA in Communications Design from the School of Visual Arts, where she studied under the tutelage of Professor Scott Buschkuhl. Following graduation, she worked for Viacom, Prophet, and other design agencies in New York. Yating Liu is a versatile graphic designer with a strong penchant for customized typefaces and branding design. She has thrived in multicultural cities like Beijing, Hong Kong, and New York, which have helped her to become more well-rounded and upbeat in personality. Yating is currently making images at 2×4 (Beijing), where she utilizes her branding and advertising background to express her distinctive and mature views through visual language.

Luca Curci – Which subject are you working on?
Yating Liu – I am often captivated by the vibrant scenes found in nature, which frequently serve as inspiration for my typography designs. Simultaneously, I have a strong appreciation for fonts like Didot, known for their bold contrast in weight, and this has influenced my recent creation, “The Algae” typography poster. With this font design, I aim to showcase the intricacies of marine life, evoking the delicate and exquisite aspects of oceanic organisms. Additionally, I want to convey the rhythmic vitality and a touch of mystery, reminiscent of sea grass freely swaying in the deep ocean.

LC – How did you get to your current artistic practice?
YL – Taking my current exhibition’s work “The Algae” poster as an example. This font set was created following a strict and intricate grid system, but the grid didn’t confine it. It aims to mimic the graceful and twisting forms of seagrass as it sways, giving it an organic and dynamic quality. As a result, it is both fluid and irregular, with each character possessing its unique essence. Furthermore, seaweed flows gracefully when it moves, so when the font carries words with meaningful content, the letters seamlessly connect to create this fluid and flowing posture. Whether viewed from a distance or up close, it evokes different sensations and sparks the imagination.

LC – What are the three hashtags essential to define your poetics that you could not give up?
YL – If I were to choose three hashtags to describe my artwork, they would be #harmony #balance #eye-appealing. I carefully balance elements such as color, composition, and layout to ensure a unified and aesthetically pleasing outcome. By finding the right equilibrium, I create an overall sense of visual balance that is visually captivating and engaging.

LC – Where do you find your inspiration?
YL – I am a rather sensitive and delicate individual. I tend to depict the process of my creations as deep dives, immersing myself in it, away from all the surrounding distractions. This process brings me a sense of tranquility. To express the rich emotions within me, I observe the nuances of life from my unique perspective. I enjoy conversing with people from various walks of life, wanting to understand their diverse cultural backgrounds and lifestyles. I attempt to use a distinctive and rich visual language to convey my attitudes and concepts toward the people and things around me.

LC – What is the most challenging part about creating your artworks?
YL – My primary work involves handling various commercial design projects. So, to pinpoint a company’s positioning within a vast industry market and visualize this unique or abstract positioning most properly can be quite challenging. Moreover, providing multiple different options adds to the complexity. Generating a few interesting graphics isn’t particularly difficult, but the ability to make this transition requires a wealth of accumulated experience. It’s developed through continuous trial and error, repeatedly facing market tests, and honing a precise understanding, judgment, and decision-making skills.

LC – Do you agree with our vision of art and what do you think about the theme of the exhibition?
YL – Yes, I align with the vision of Itsliquid. Your themes consistently inspire limitless interpretations and provide artists with abundant space for self-expression. This is the reason behind the ability of your exhibitions to attract the contributions of numerous artists, creating a true visual feast.

LC – In which way the artwork presented in our exhibition is connected with the exhibition’s theme?
YL – Itsliquid’s exhibitions always manage to gather artworks from artists around the world. Bringing together numerous art pieces under a common theme is a truly gratifying experience. It allows one to appreciate and experience diverse perspectives of artists from different cultural backgrounds within the context of an international art fair.

LC – Would you suggest a collaboration with us? What do you think about our services?
YL – Yes, definitely want to collaborate in the future. Your service is comprehensive and thoughtful, consistently offers the latest exhibition information and is always prompt in addressing and resolving any inquiries.

LC – What are your suggestions about our services? Is there something more we can provide to artists?
YL – You possess extensive experience in promoting artworks from artists worldwide, and your provision of diverse post-exhibition services reflects your comprehensive and mature approach. Moreover, I hope to witness a greater representation of artworks from countries with less prominence in your exhibitions. Regarding exhibition themes, it would be valuable to explore more trending or current topics that are widely discussed by people at present.

LC – What is your idea about ITSLIQUID GROUP?
YL – Itsliquid Group is a great platform for showcasing the work of artists from around the world. It allows people to see how these artists present diverse perspectives under the same theme, providing a way to understand how individuals from different cultural backgrounds perceive the world. This not only greatly ignites the urge to create from artists but also shapes and elevates people’s perception of beauty and their desire to discover it.