Xin Liu's Interdisciplinary Practice Examines Humanity's Quest for Immortality Through Technology

Chinese artist and engineer Xin Liu explores humanity's enduring pursuit of immortality through her interdisciplinary practice. Her work critically examines how scientific advancements in biotechnology and regenerative medicine might soon make such fantasies attainable, questioning the potential costs involved. Liu creates sculptures, installations, and films that blend organic materials with artificial elements, confronting our transient existence while engaging with what French sociologist Émile Durkheim termed "the malady of infinite aspiration" under capitalism. Her practice probes humanity's historical attempts to manipulate natural laws through science, referencing ancient tales of eternal youth and science fiction depictions of life-prolonging technology. The artist's approach is both reverent and critical of modern technology, addressing how the desire to conquer time has driven humans to transform and sometimes mutilate both bodies and environments in pursuit of imperishability.