GAO Yuan CV 

Yakuza-2, 1990, Gelatin Silver Print

Yakuza-3, 1990, Gelatin Silver Print

Reflection-1,1984, C-Print

Reflection-2,1984, C-Print

Reflection-3,1984, C-Print

GAO Yuan (高媛)

Philosophy

Photography is much like a mirror reflecting back to us our social identity.  GAO attempts to explore the psychological and cultural meanings below visual appearance and aesthetic arrangement.   She focuses on details that give subliminal meanings to identities to create an imagery that transcends documentation.

Style

Black and white or color photography in both studio portraitures and site specific imageries of iconographic and compositional arrangement.

Technique

Works with large-format and digital cameras.  Photographs are usually produced on gelatin silver prints or chromogenic prints.

In her recent project, 12 Moons, GAO combined digital photography in the backgrounds with film in the foregrounds, all integrated by a scanning process.  Finally, she superimposed a digital "tattoo" of a Chinese Zodiac animal sign on each child.  The Chinese Zodiac is a 12 year cycle.

The project began with a casting call in Beijing in 2007 for mothers with children.  the mothers came from distant villages all over China.  Their husbands were low-wage workers in construction sites.  GAO was inspired by the statues of the Madonna and Child that she saw in the Cathedral of Siena, Italy.

Background

GAO was born in Taiwan.  Her family came from Tien Jin, China.  GAO studied under Mr. Miki Jun in 1987 and received her MFA degree from Nihon University in Tokyo, Japan with a focus on Photography in 1989.  She had extensive experience in commercial and fashion photography and completed advanced courses in photography at New York Film Academy in 1997.  GAO was winner of Soho Photo Gallery Competition (New York) in 2004.  Her work was exhibited in Aqua Art Miami, Asian Contemporary Art Fair (New York), AIPAD (New York), Palacio Consistorial de Cartagena (Spain), Shanghai Museum of Contemporary Art, and major fine art galleries, including Throckmorton (New York) and Gao Brothers Gallery (Beijing). 

GAO now works and lives in New York City and Beijing.