Vincent Liu, Taiwanese-American
Black Lung, 2014
Vincent Liu’s Black Lung depicts Chinese coal miners' health risks at their jobs as they inhale pollutants to provide for their families. Liu claims that this painting is a dedication to all workers who put their lives at risk to put food on the table around the world. The artist’s rich use of texture and color demonstrates how inhaling pollution weakens workers as they inhale toxic fumes, creating physical and metaphorical scars. Liu's work shows mining is mentally and physically taxing, as seen by the pain in the miner’s eyes and the smoke he carries in his lungs. Label by Clarissa Cantacuzene