Pixy Yijun Liao Experimental Relationship (2007- Now) As a woman brought up in China, I used to think I could only love someone who is older and more mature than me, who can be my protector and mentor. Then I met my current boyfriend, Moro. Since he is 5 years younger than me, I felt that whole concept of relationships changed, all the way around. I became the person who has more authority & power. One of my male friends even questioned how I could choose a boyfriend the way a man would choose a girlfriend. And I thought, "Damn right. That’s exactly what I’m doing, & why not!" I started to experiment with this relationship. I would set up all kinds of situations for Moro and I to perform in the photos. My photos explore the alternative possibilities of heterosexual relationships. They question what is the norm of heterosexual relationships. What will happen if man & woman exchange their roles of sex & roles of power. Because my boyfriend is Japanese, and I am Chinese, this project also describes a love and hate relationship. BIO Born and raised in Shanghai, China, Yijun Liao is an artist currently resides in Brooklyn, NY. She is a recipient of NYFA Fellowship, En Foco's New Works Awards and LensCulture Exposure Awards, etc,. She is a resident at Light Work in 2015. She has done artist residencies at Lower Manhattan Cultural Council Workspace program, AIR program at CPW, and Camera Club of New York in the past. Liao’s photographs have been exhibited internationally, including Arario Gallery (NY), Flowers Gallery (NY), kunst licht Gallery (China), He Xiangning Art Museum(China), VT Art Salon (Taiwan), Kips Gallery (Korea), The Running Horse Contemporary Art Space (Lebanon), Format Photo Festival (UK), Noorderlicht Photo Festival (Netherlands), etc,. Liao holds a MFA in photography from University of Memphis.