Koi Neng Liew’s clay figurative sculptures portray a variety of expressive characters who are based on personal experiences and intriguing people he has met. Exaggerated proportions, obscure objects, and gestures personify each character’s disposition.
Originally from Singapore, Chinese customs and visual representations are also factored into his work. For instance, some of Liew’s characters are a blend of animal and human characteristics, an element which is influenced by the Chinese Zodiac Calendar, a 12-year cycle of animals that are believed to define people’s traits.
In the current exhibition, Liew is revisiting past characters and themes including Rabbit Man, who was conceived as an alter ego of Liew’s, and the grasshopper, which is based on experiences chasing grasshoppers as a child.
Liew received his MFA degree from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and his BFA degree from Alfred University. He was the Taunt Fellowship recipient at the Archie Bray Foundation in 2005, and has exhibited nationally and internationally since 1999.

This exhibition is presented in partnership with the Roswell Artist-in-Residence Program and the Anderson Museum of Contemporary Art. For more information on these programs, please visit their websites at: www.rair.org and www.roswellamoca.org.