Su Misu (b. 1990) currently lives and works in Taipei, Taiwan.
Intersectionality in gender identities is one crucial topic widely discussed by activists and academics. For Taiwanese artist Su Misu, there is a divine figure that provides the best representation of the notion: Bodhisattva. One can find Bodhisattva as a major motif in culture production throughout art history in Asia. The sexual character of this goddess of mercy is often depicted as neuter, genderless, or variable. Su adopted the renewal of enchantment as her strategy in staged photography, which made this project a modern allegory. Bright neon colors on traditional Taiwanese opera stage elements such as dragons and lotuses, indicate that the portraits at the center would naturally become avatars, the incarnations of the deity.
Taiwanese photographer Su Misu is known for exploring gender, BDSM and LGBTQ+ topics. Coming from a medical background, she’s interested in the “Synthetic”, the “Unnatural”, and other embodiments, using photography to discuss the struggle between the real and the illusory. Her work draws from Lacan’s psychoanalytic concept of the mirror stage, which is where a subject becomes alienated from itself and is introduced into an imaginary order. Despite her young age, Su’s photographic work is one of the highlights of our presentation due to her unique approach and skill in style and composition. With signature pieces of her recent series “ihategoodbye" and "I am a fake, but my heart is true” on show, one can get a clear understanding of the trajectory of Su’s practice.
*This work is one out of a series of 6 images.
