Being Human

Hello, again.

First, a huge THANK YOU to those who came out to the Brattle Theatre to attend Ken’s book launch event with the Harvard Book Store. It was a very successful, sold-out event. R.F. Kuang, and, later, the audience, asked Ken some really interesting questions. I myself had the pleasure of meeting Rebecca after having just finished her novel, Yellowface.

The Human Identity

Over these past few weeks, I finally admitted to myself the following: The American identity that I had been donning for the past forty-two years, despite all my effort to assimilate after becoming a naturalized US citizen, is a myth (as Robert Frank astutely observed).

Going forward, my artistic work will be guided by my identity as a human being and a citizen of the world. Understanding what it means to be human is now more important than ever, as our world is becoming increasingly automated every day. To battle the loneliness epidemic, we have to work actively to be aware of ourselves and our interactions with other human beings.

Although I have no evidence to prove any of it, being an optimist, I’d like to think that human beings are generally evolving to become more tolerant of each other. One would think that all the modern global cross-cultural exchanges must have at least inched us collectively toward normalizing the idea that “the others”, whoever they may be, are also human.

Yet the pendulum of dialectics swings. Some with the scarcity mindset (never mind that they already possess more wealth than most) thrive on fear and suspicion of people whom they consider different from themselves, othering and dehumanizing them.

I think about the loneliness epidemic and consider how much of that is caused by our own inability to look at another person and fully appreciate that that person is as human as ourselves. That lack of empathy, in turn, makes us internally fragile. In order to be anti-fragile, we need to summon the courage to be vulnerable, to abolish our self-consciousness. We need to look a stranger in the eye at the supermarket and give a big smile that says “I genuinely wish you well." Whether or not it would be reciprocated.

Perhaps if we double down on our empathy, the pendulum will swing back. I foresee some portrait work in my future.

Meanwhile, here is an old portrait I made in 2008 with a Holga—from my “American Families” series.

©2008 Lisa Tang Liu. All rights reserved.

Holga Week 2025

Speaking of Holgas, I found much joy during Holga Week (October 1-7). I learned about this annual event (HolgaWeek.com) during the pandemic, when I began posting on Instagram. For those who are unfamiliar, the Holga is a cheaply manufactured plastic “toy” camera, with a cult following. I was introduced to this crappy camera circa 2006, by my dear friend Silke Hase, who makes magic with it.

Instagram #Holga led me to my tribe. Every year, participants make pictures using their Holgas from October 1-7. After that, they have a month to upload three photos taken during Holga Week onto the website. Then participants vote on all the uploaded images. I honestly care about this last part the least. I just like Holga Week because of the community doing this whimsical collective activity.

This year’s was my most productive Holga Week to date. I went through six rolls of film—one of which I sadly had to throw away because of a terrible mistake I made. But all in all, I am really happy that I worked hard on it. I now have ideas for two possible new bodies of work.

Here are the three I ended up submitting for the contest.

FRANTIC. ©2025 Lisa Tang Liu. All rights reserved. Created on the Holga 120 GNP using the pinhole “lens” with 35mm expired Fuji Superia 800 film. Submitted to the "Holga Pinhole” category.

TAYLOR ON SCREEN. ©2025 Lisa Tang Liu. All rights reserved. Created on the Holga 120 GNP using the glass lens with 35mm expired Fuji Superia 800 film. Submitted to the “Holga Street” category.

CONCERT HALL. ©2025 Lisa Tang Liu. All rights reserved. Created on the Holga 120 GNP using the glass lens with 35mm expired Fuji Superia 800 film. Submitted to the “Holga Effects” category.

Current Shows + Upcoming Events

The following events are very immediate, as they’re all happening over the next few days.

Thursday, October 16th, 5-7pm Reception at FPAC Art Space

there will be a reception at the FPAC Art Space in Seaport (70A Sleeper Street, across from the Barking Crab and a part of the Envoy Hotel). Arizona Palm + Massachusetts Hosta (from the Alchemy of the Unknowns collaboration project with James David Tabor) is on exhibit that at the FPAC Members’ Exhibition in celebration of FPAC’s 45th birthday! The reception is free, but please RSVP here.

The show runs through October 31. Gallery hours are Tue-Sat,10am-1pm/1:30pm-6pm, and additional hours on Sunday, October 19th, 12- 6pm.

Open Studio hours at Atlantic Wharf Gallery: Friday 10/17, 4-7pm; Saturday 10/18 and Sunday 10/19, 12-6pm.

I’ll have a table inside the Atlantic Wharf Gallery at 290 Congress Street in Boston as a part of Fort Point Open Studios! I’ll be exhibiting and selling some framed pieces from various bodies of work, as well as our 2nd edition of the Alchemy of the Unknowns photobook, my new poster, and small cyanotype prints.

Check out this cool guide to the Fort Point Open Studios. There are activities all over the Fort Point/Seaport area--from the FPAC galleries to the ICA Boston and Boston Children’s Museum.

“Wish You Were Here”, Multicultural Arts Center, through November 21. 41 Second Street, Cambridge, MA.

Gallery hours: Monday: Closed
Tuesday: 10 am – 6 pm
Wednesday: 10 am – 6 pm
Thursday: 10 am – 6 pm
Friday: 10 am – 6 pm

Finally, my “Self Portrait As a Cyborg” was selected into a very exciting show called “Wish You Were Here” at the Multicultural Arts Center.

From their website:

“In Wish You Were Here, over 30 artists explore connections across place and time through postcard-sized mixed-media images. Some of the themes explored include connections across generations and histories, reflections on personal transformation, or simple eulogies to lost loved ones. Come explore this mysterious exhibit of messages to oneself, to others, or to an imagined audience across time.”

A Month of Discovery

I did a lot of thinking this past month, and I came up with some satisfying conclusions. I have slowed down a lot in terms of applying to new juried shows. I would rather sit back and congratulate other artists in their exhibitions for a while.

Until next time.

Warmly,

Lisa