In conversation with Matilda Liu

"I think the goal is to encourage and foster a mindful collecting and criticism approach that is critically engaged, one that experiences contemporary creativity and artistic talent internationally…”

 - Matilda Liu

Matilda Liu

Matilda Liu is an independent curator and collector based in London. Matilda’s collection has a focus on Chinese contemporary art in dialogue with international emerging artists, from Liu Xiaodong to George Rouy. Having curated shows for various contemporary art galleries and organisations in recent years, she is now launching her own curatorial initiative: Meeting Point Projects. Dedicated to gathering, discovering, and living with contemporary art, culture, and cuisine, Its programme of pop-up exhibitions and events focus on highlighting the exchange between contemporary artists, makers, and creatives from diverse cultural backgrounds, at different stages of careers, and across various disciplines. Exhibiting new works by emerging and young contemporary artists often alongside works from private collections, Meeting Point Projects aims to support emerging contemporary artistic talents by creating critical, non-White Cube contexts within which art and culture can be shown and engaged with.

In these contexts, rather than being confronted with the singularity of an artist’s work and practice in a sterile white cube, she explains, you get to see how artworks are embedded in an entire system of aesthetic identity informed by a lifetime of experiences, habits, routines, beliefs, and traditions. It is this critical dialogue across disciplines, spaces, and personalities that she is most interested in and what inspires her curatorial practice, which continually questions --- how is art a part of life? We spoke with Matilda to delve a little deeper.

How did you begin your journey into art? Did you grow up in a creative environment?

No, I would not describe my upbringing as creative. However, I always loved drawing and storytelling with pictures through my obsession with Japanese mangas and cartoons like Cardscaptor Sakura and Sailor Moon.  I realised pretty early on that I did not have what it takes to be an artist myself, but I wanted to do something to be in touch with artists and designers, so I studied Curation at Central Saint Martins for my BA and then did Art Business for Masters at Sotheby’s, and that’s how I started.

Francesca Woodman, from Space2, Providence, Rhode Island, 1976. Gelatin silver estate print, 12.9 x 12.7 cm.

Can you tell us a bit about your career experiences? And what was it that eventually led you to founding Meeting Point Projects?

I’ve worked in art advisory and events production, as well as being on the editorial team for Harper’s Bazaar China. For the past 18 months I have also been independently curating in collaboration with various organisations and galleries --- but what has led me to starting Meeting Point Projects really is my own collecting and a desire to find new ways to critically engage with existing works in a collection and to build a platform to highlight new artworks by young and emerging artists. As I grow and develop my own art collection, which spans all stages of careers, mediums, and nationalities, I started to notice that shockingly, the contemporary art market is still quite segmented. On the top end, Blue-chip galleries and collectors are not really in touch with names outside their usual price point roster, and young artists rarely have the chance to see their works in dialogue with those who inspired them. So Meeting Point Projects’ goal is to build a bridge between not only these different market segments, but also contextualise ideas between art, design, cuisine, and lifestyle. I think the goal is to encourage and foster a mindful collecting and criticism approach that is critically engaged, one that experiences contemporary creativity and artistic talent internationally, in diverse forms, communities, and price points. 

What have been your greatest challenges in making it happen?

Finding the confidence to start something in this market environment! I felt confident about artists and have thought long and hard about the programme I wanted to have, and I knew I could handle the day-to-day logistic and operational challenges. However, the wider market and economic downturn this year meant I questioned whether this is the time to start something.

What do you hope Meeting Point Projects will bring to its audiences?

New ideas and new ways of seeing, discovering, engaging, and living with art and culture.

Can you tell us a little about the very first show for Meeting Point Projects, Uncarved Block, Unbleached Silk?

Yes! Uncarved Block, Unbleached Silk is a group show that brings together 10 artists and around 30 works. The 3-week exhibition features sculptures, ceramic works (both useable designs and fine art), paintings, photography, and work on paper. The artists included in this show come from Asia, Europe and the US, and they range from institutionally collected works from 1960s like Francesca Woodman’s photographs to recent art school graduates like Changpeng Li’s works on canvas. 

Antony Gormley, Small Veer 2, 2018. Cast Iron, 95.8 x 27.6 x 15.8 cm

And what do you personally find interesting about the concept of Yūgen…such that this is the central concept that drives the curation of this show?

Yūgen is a Japanese aesthetic concept adapted from the traditional Chinese term Yōu Xuán 幽玄 – in which Yōu (yu) means slightly hidden, and Xuán (gen) a profound, distant darkness. Across Daoist and Buddhist thoughts it comes to refer to a deep and obscure space within something that appears plain, but which is full of mystery and emotional complexity.

I find the concept so interesting because I think beneath the international ‘Post-Passport’ phenomena that Contemporary Art has become, these underlying, regional spiritual traditions and philosophical value systems continue to inform taste patterns and differences between Eastern and Western artists and collectors. For artists and collectors from East Asian background, I notice that often subconsciously, the idea of poetic indirectness is a virtue sought after in their practices or approaches. For non-Asian artists, many of those who have been carved into Western art history, such as Antony Gormley, cite Buddhist philosophy as significant inspiration to them. So whether it is subconsciously or consciously, the value system and principles behind ‘Yugen’ continues to be influential for international contemporary art, and its’ interpretive lens deserves to be studied and understood. 

Are there any artists you are particularly excited by at the moment, perhaps who might be part of this show?

I feel very lucky about the timing of Uncarved Block, Unbleached Silk, as two artists in the exhibitions are having major institutional shows at the moment --- Antony Gormley has a major installation commission at Houghton Hall, and Francesca Woodman has a duo exhibition at National Portrait Gallery with Julia Margaret Cameron. Both incredible exhibitions that I highly recommend. I am also extremely excited about showing Japanese artist Hotaru Tachi in the UK for their first time outside of Japan. Hotaru’s enigmatic woodcarving works are so elegant, understated and natural with a hint of uncanny and mischief, a perfect embodiment of Yugen and Japanese subtlety. 

Hotaru Tachi, 言の葉の奥に潜む (Lurking deep within the words), 2023. Pencil on bookshelf, wood. 39.1x30.5×15.6 cm.

We are always interested in projects that bring together different cultural strands – and Meeting Projects is dedicated to discovering and living with contemporary art, culture, and cuisine. What was the importance to you of including cuisine?

Cuisine is important because I personally am passionate about food history and dining culture. Food and dining is inherently social and community based and much like my approach to mindful curating and collecting, I think food is one of those creative mediums that is meant to be shared, conversational, and can be used as a more easily ‘digestible’ (pun intended’) platform/vehicle to discuss and explore so many scholarly and critical ideas on gender, ethnicity, cultural heritage,  socio-economic politics, and geography.

And how do you see this symbiosis developing in future Meeting Point Projects?

The same way I highlight emerging artists and showcase new artworks across art and design, I also want to organise events in support of chefs and hospitality workers. Exhibition-going is often accompanied by a drink or bite afterwards, why not incorporate the audience’s social dining behaviour into the programme? This can be in forms of Supper Clubs, tablescape, commissions, etc.

Shana Hoehn, Breast Bracket #10 with Double Mushroom, 2023. Aluminum with Patina, 59.69 x 12.7 x 26.67 cm.

And a quick fire 5:

Any upcoming projects of note that you can discuss?

Yes, I have a group show and supper clubs planned for end of September. I may also have some events happening during Frieze London this year!

What have been the most rewarding moments of your career thus far?

Being told by young artists that they feel good having worked with me. Being told by collectors that I have introduced them to new ideas and artists they never thought to be interested in!

What’s the best advice you have ever received?

That the most creative is the most personal!

Who are you outside of the ‘office’?

Someone who wants to find a good foot massage in London. 

What do you love about London?

How international it is. Every other person has a complicated answer to “Where are you from” and everyone immediately gets it when you struggle to answer that question. 

Uncarved Block, Unbleached Silk runs from 20 May to 7 June 2024 at 30 Tottenham Street, London W1T 4RJ.

For more information, please visit matildaliu.com