Dream of Dawn by Griffin Liu
Opening reception: Saturday, May 16, 2026, 6 - 9 PM
Exhibitions run May 17 - June 28, 2026
Griffin Liu’s work explores themes of displacement, solitude, and the tension between institutional control and human agency through surreal miniature landscapes. Shaped by his family’s seven-year limbo as asylum seekers, his practice reflects the emotional weight of waiting—for decisions, responses, and permission to move forward. In these works, waiting becomes a condition of powerlessness under bureaucratic systems. Liu transforms that experience into scenes where reality and imagination merge, creating landscapes of poetic melancholy, psychological tension, and dreamlike stillness.
Journalist Simon Garfield described the miniature as a realm of "controlled omnipotence," a stark contrast to the chaotic vastness of reality, where significant moments frequently slip from our grasp. This tension forms the heart of Liu's artistic practice. Through his surreal, miniature-inflected works, Liu explores themes of displacement, solitude, human connection, and the struggle for freedom, all deeply rooted in his own quest for the security of home.
Liu's exhibition, "Dream of Dawn," examines the visible and invisible machinery of governmental systems. Though the government is not invisible, it communicates in ways that are not always verbal; its influence is embedded in the fabric of daily life. Liu's sculptures reflect the conflict between personal freedom and the constraints imposed by these systems, exploring how they fragment communities while simultaneously fostering moments of connection through shared victimhood.
Gaston Bachelard noted that the miniature evokes an "intense intimacy" that transforms observers into active participants. Inspired by this philosophy, Liu sees the act of scaling down the world not just as a means of compression, but as a way to amplify emotional and philosophical depth. By creating smaller environments, Liu encourages close observation and introspection, where even the tiniest gestures hold significant meaning. While governmental structures may impose order and create divisions, they are also marked by traces of human presence—moments of care, acts of resistance, and connections that endure despite systematic control, revealing both the fragility and resilience of human agency.
Yuming “Griffin” Liu is a visual artist, sculptor, and educator whose work is shaped by a life marked by displacement and vertigo. Born into religious turmoil in Communist China due to his family’s spiritual affiliations, Liu experienced a nomadic upbringing across China and eventually around the globe. This journey, coupled with the constant clash of voices—from family, governments, and institutions, each claiming moral authority—infuses his practice with a profound sense of solitude and sorrow. Helplessly seeking inner peace in a chaotic reality, Liu constructs intricate scenes that blend poetic melancholy with dreamlike sensibility. His surreal miniature worlds reflect a quiet dignity in the face of institutional struggle, transforming personal trauma into delicate, emotionally resonant forms. Liu is a sculptor born and raised in China. He holds a BA from Kenyon College and recently completed an MFA in Sculpture at the University of Notre Dame, where he has taught for two years. His work has been exhibited internationally, including at the Center of International Contemporary Art (Vancouver), LumiNoir Gallery (London), and Midwest Museum of American Art (Elkhart, IN). He has received several competitive honors, including the 2025 Outstanding Student Achievement in Contemporary Sculpture Award from the International Sculpture Center. Liu currently teaches at Saint Mary’s College, Notre Dame, IN.
