On Tuesday, Sept. 10, Elizabethtown College’s Lyet Gallery in Leffler Chapel and Performance Center opened its doors to the painter Jun-Cheng Liu and his works. Liu is an associate professor in the department of art and art history at Franklin & Marshall College. He received his bachelor’s and master’s degree of fine art in China, and then received another master’s of fine art degree from East Texas State University.
Dr. Milton Friedly, professor of art in the department of fine and performing arts, described Liu’s artwork. “In terms of style, in my mind, it’s a form of trompe l’œil painting, which is to fool the eye. And so, you’re going to see elements of realism. You’ll see some interesting arrangements in his work and of course composition, with any artwork, is going to be critical.”
Since Liu has studied in both China and the United States, these two different styles come together prominently in his works. “I sort of explored both east and west,” Liu said.
His current style of artwork has been deeply affected by his Chinese roots. “Looking back at the Chinese tradition, pure color and pattern has led me to the current composition,” he said. “Hopefully that will give the audience some sense of the path that has led me.”
Liu described his works as a part of himself. “I can feel the texture of my life,” he explained. “I came from China and it was very challenging, particularly in the very beginning, to find that inner connection.”
He describes elements of his work as being effortless, accurate, very simple and promoting a sense of purity and openness. “Robert Rouschenberg’s exhibition in 1986 in Beijing really prompted me to come out and study in the U.S. I went to Beijing to look at the show, and I couldn’t understand it. He would bring worn out tires and fishing wires, like pop art. I paint painstakingly with all of the details and the techniques and training. I wasn’t really bothered, because he was a world-class artist. So I returned the second day, and I still could not understand it. So I went back a third day. Then I recognized that my thinking wasn’t right. That individual point of view never occurred to me. That prompted me to come here and study. I needed to open up.”
Liu’s works will be on display in the Lyet Gallery in Leffler Chapel and Performance Center from Monday to Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 1-5 p.m.
