Taiwanese artist Luo Jr-shin (羅智信) is set to showcase his works at the 11th edition of Liverpool Biennial, which will take place from Mar. 20 through Jun. 6 in Liverpool, England. Luo is known for capturing and amplifying the illusionary and delusionary moments of everyday life.
Supported by Ministry of Culture, he presents a site-specific installation titled "Like a filter, matters passed through you and became a part of you" at the festival. This is a continuation of his previous project in 2018, titled "Like a Urinal in a Nightclub, From Some Golden Liquid Turning into Another." His new installation is a nightclub toilet, like a closed circuit, the installation shifts between a toilet and a nightclub. This is to highlight the cyclical drinking-urinating behavior of the human body. Surrogate fluids made from ingredients found in beer coats the floor in the space, which is a familiar sensation underfoot for club-goers, transporting the visitors to a certain mood, place or time.
Born in 1984 in Miaoli, Luo's practice revolves around the experimentation of a variety of traditional and unconventional materials – ranging from clay, resin, metal to food, chemicals and scent. He uses common, everyday objects and decontextualizes them to produce a different reality. His works have been exhibited in Taiwan, Japan, Brazil, and the United States.
Founded in 1998, Liverpool Biennial is the largest festival of contemporary visual art in UK. It takes place every two years across the city's public spaces, galleries and historic buildings. "Liverpool Biennial: The Stomach and the Port" was originally scheduled to take place in 2020 but was postponed due to the COVID-19 outbreak. This year's theme explores notions of the body and ways of connecting with the world, showcasing the works of 50 emerging artists and collectives from 30 countries around the world.
Photo courtesy of Luo Ju-shin, photo taken by Hong Cheolki