2013, Hung Liu, Street Library (detail)
From the museum label (to the full painting): This painting, based on an archival photograph, represents Chinese children reading illustrated books, known as xiaorenshu, in a "street library." These small books flourished after the founding of the People's Republic of China (PRC) in 1949, and children could rent them for a penny a day. The comic-style illustrations bridged entertainment and education, featuring themes such as traditional Chinese myths, heroic tales, and revolutionary stories. In this work, Liu incorporates a wooden bookshelf containing authentic xiaorenshu into the canvas, placing historical artifacts at the center of a pictorial representation of history. By doing so, the artist creates a connection between the collective memory of children reading on street corners and viewers today, opening up a conversation across time.
2013, Hung Liu, Street Library (detail)
From the museum label (to the full painting): This painting, based on an archival photograph, represents Chinese children reading illustrated books, known as xiaorenshu, in a "street library." These small books flourished after the founding of the People's Republic of China (PRC) in 1949, and children could rent them for a penny a day. The comic-style illustrations bridged entertainment and education, featuring themes such as traditional Chinese myths, heroic tales, and revolutionary stories. In this work, Liu incorporates a wooden bookshelf containing authentic xiaorenshu into the canvas, placing historical artifacts at the center of a pictorial representation of history. By doing so, the artist creates a connection between the collective memory of children reading on street corners and viewers today, opening up a conversation across time.