Artist Hung Liu, subject of current de Young Museum exhibition, dies at 73
Chinese-born American artist Hung Liu, an Oakland-based painter internationally recognized for her work exploring notions of identity, immigration and the Maoist culture she grew up in, has died just as her latest exhibit went on display at San Francisco’s de Young Museum.
The cause of death was pancreatic cancer, the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco confirmed Saturday, Aug. 7. Liu was 73.
“We are deeply saddened by the news of artist Hung Liu’s sudden, premature passing and our thoughts go out to her family at this difficult time,” officials at the Fine Arts Museums, which include the Legion of Honor and de Young Museums, said in a statement. “A vibrant and vital part of the artist community in the Bay Area and beyond, Liu’s impact as an artist and as a teacher are profound. A trailblazer among Asian American artists, the legacy and extensive oeuvre she leaves behind will continue to advocate on behalf of the people who have come to our country and helped build our nation.” …read more at sfchronicle.com
August 7, 2021
Kim Sajet, Director of the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery, issued the following statement on the passing of Chinese-born American painter, Hung Liu, ahead of the museum’s upcoming exhibition “Hung Liu: Portraits of Promised Lands,” the first major presentation of Liu’s art on the East Coast:
“The National Portrait Gallery mourns the death of Hung Liu, whose extraordinary artistic vision reminds us that even in the midst of despair, there is hope, and when people help each other, there is joy. She believed in the power of art—and portraiture—to change the world.” ….read more at npg.si.edu
