Sunnie Liu

Visual Description: In Sunnie Liu’s installation 施洗 (To Baptize), three white baptism robes hang from the ceiling on transparent wires like ghostly scrim over washbins. Each washbin contains a different liquid: such as black tea, Dr. Pepper, and wine. As the liquids seep into their hems, the three headless figures face a long rectangular altar covered in a tablecloth. On top of the altar are various materials such as pregnancy tests, incense, and a pair of lifeless Chinese dolls. Behind the altar, a pair of CRT televisions play a recorded performance where Liu reenacts a baptism of her own design. Floor cushions scattered throughout invite viewers to sit, fully immersed in the installation.

Curatorial Description: Sunnie Liu’s installation 施洗 (To Baptize) is a multi-sensorial installation that recalls her childhood growing up within the Southern Baptist church in Texas. White baptism robes representing a mother, father, and child hang from the ceiling like ghostly scrim over washbins, each filled with liquids that evoke allegiances to empire, capitalism, and Christianity. As black tea, Dr. Pepper, and wine seep into their hems, the three figures face old televisions that play a recorded performance where Liu reenacts a baptism/naturalization of her own design. As the artist baptizes themselves repeatedly and constructs an improvised altar, viewers are invited to contemplate how the process of religious indoctrination in the United States shares eerie parallels with immigration, including renunciation of previous heritage and conformity to the masses. The smell of incense permeates the air as Chinese dolls lay lifeless on the altar.

About

Sunnie Liu is an interdisciplinary artist creating diasporic biomythography, critical fabulation, and liberation evangelism. Rooting practice in community, Sunnie co-founded digital organizing cooperative Xīn Shēng | 心声Project, co-edits Divine zine, and is half of artist collective Parallax with Malaika Temba. Born in rural China and raised in Texas, Sunnie holds degrees in Studio Art and History from Yale University. Sunnie's work has been featured by Contemporary Arts Museum Houston, Museum of Contemporary African Diasporan Arts, Asian American Arts Alliance, Think!Chinatown, BLUEorange, POV on PBS, Yale Norfolk School of Art, Foundation House, Bandung Residency, and NYU Press.