Liu Xiadong: "Borders" will present a new series of works by the contemporary painter, who has tirelessly documented sociological settings for over 30 years. The exhibition is comprised of paintings, diary
entries and videos developed from the hundreds of drawings, photographs and footage Xiaodong created throughout two research trips led along the U.S.-Mexico border in 2019.

A restless traveler, Xiaodong combines his energetic curiosity for humanity with an old-style dedication and trust for the power of art and painting, thus offering a parallel landscape of a border often unknown to the U.S. public and not represented in the media. The exhibition will also feature a 40-minute documentary shot by filmmaker Yang Bo while Xiaodong was at border, which will immerse visitors in vivid depictions of his travels and explorations.

During his research trips, Xiaodong embedded himself within the region’s communities, temporarily residing in cities such as Eagle Pass, Piedras Negras, El Paso, Ciudad Juarez, Laredo, Nuova Laredo and Marfa as departure platforms to create his works. His paintings document individuals, locations, and contemporary societies in-flux on both sides of the Rio Grande River as a means to fight stereotypes and tell the personal stories he witnessed during his time on the U.S.-Mexico border. He describes a varied world animated and enriched by diversity, where family and collective values stand out as primordial communal means for peace and fraternity.

The exhibition will remain on display through August 22.