Mia Liu

#Tower of Knowledge

SHANGHAI, CHINA

Known for her works on paper, created with ink and acrylic pigments, Mia Liu uses her distinct artistic language to explore the material possibilities of paper, drawing out connections between the psychological and physical experiences of life and using these media in unconventional ways.

Mia Liu's 'Tower of Knowledge' comprises 7,960 index cards that former readers of the Shanghai Library used. These index cards were used to bridge readers and the library; they captured valuable time and memories and helped people find life's meaning in the books.

Our team in China worked closely with Mia Liu from sampling to prototyping and printing to ensure all colours followed the artist's vision and created this striking and engaging pattern.

As times have changed, most of the current book borrowing processes have been transferred to the digital system, relegating the index card to become part of history. Yet, through the artist's creative ingenuity, the index cards are intertwined into several endless knowledge cycles, memorialised for future generations. The scattered words and ink are like stars, symbolising the convergence of knowledge.
-Mia Liu