We recently connected with Linye Jiang and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Linye thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

The most meaningful project that I have worked on is “sweet, juicy and rebellious” This is a series of fruit portraits.
“Fruit” was widely used in the West during the 1960s-1980s as a derogatory slang term for the LGBTQ+ community, specifically gay men. It symbolized perceptions of sweetness, juiciness, and softness — traits inappropriately associated exclusively with femininity. Similarly, in China, the term “娘娘腔” (sissy) was used to demean gay men by likening them to women, suggesting they were less masculine because of their sexuality. These derogatory terms were meant to belittle gay men by comparing them to women, perpetuating harmful misogyny and gender stereotypes. Society has since scrutinized these terms, recognizing that no attribute is inherently gendered.

In becoming familiar with these linguistic nuances between Chinese and Western queer cultures, I dispel my frustration and complaints that I face as a female and queer person by creating Fruit Portraits. I transform fruit, a seemingly innocent subject, into a medium for expressing the complexities of queer identity. By altering and redefining the symbolism of fruit, I project my fetishes, rages, desires, and fears into each one. The fruit becomes a material that I can reshape, imbue with meaning, and use to manifest my vision of queer life.

I use bright, saturated colors and material juxtapositions to distinguish the fruits from normal produce. I intend these modified fruits to ignite audience curiosity and highlight a phenomenon easily overlooked in photographic imagery. The strangeness of the fruit is a protest against the idea of “normal” as dictated by patriarchal society. Being queer can still pose challenges in both the East and West.

Fruit Portraits features semi-transparent, larger-than-life photo sculptures. I create these by printing images on photo paper, mounting them on fluorescent acrylic sheets, and coating them with resin. This process creates a halo effect when the pieces are lit. To disrupt conventional norms of displaying photography, I present these images without a specific rotation or frame, embodying a playful and rebellious presentation.

In addition to the Fruit Portraits, my installation includes a video piece titled Tenderness. This video shows a hand gently stroking a fragile, soft object in a stream of water. The transition from black and white to color gradually reveals their original appearance. The act can be a cradling as well as a release. I invite audiences to appreciate the tenderness of touch, mirroring the sweet, juicy, and soft connotations associated with “fruits”. Far from being derogatory, these qualities are celebrated and cherished here in the video.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I am Linye Jiang (江麟冶), a lens-based artist residing in Chicago, yet deeply rooted in my Chinese heritage. My artistic expression traverses through various mediums – not limited to print, but extending into the realms of photographic objects, sculpture, video, and performance. Prior to enrolling in the MFA program at School of the Art Institute of Chicago, I dedicated eight years in Wuhan, being a freelance photographer, managing an administrative position while simultaneously volunteering in the LGBTQ+ community and advocating for children with AIDS.

A Personal Exploration of Societal Norms:

My explorations of societal norms stem from a personal narrative, closely intertwined with my family’s history. In 2001, a significant shift in societal perspectives transpired when homosexuality was removed from the Chinese Classification of Mental Disorders. A year after, at 14, I uncovered an online novel written by my father that portrayed the lifestyle of gay men, revealing a deeply kept secret within our family. This revelation remained untouched and unspoken for nearly two decades.

Two decades later, a turn of events brought this secret back into light when the LGBTQ+ online forum, where my father had posted his novel, was shut down by the government. This incident, propelled by impulse and accumulated courage, sparked an open dialogue between my father and me about this concealed chapter of our lives. My father disclosed how his 20-year-old imaginative narrative of gay life had fostered hope within his community, despite his reality confined to a heterosexual marriage. Intriguingly, his anonymous novel was adapted into a film by Zhangyuan, a celebrated gay director in China, in 2014.

My curiosity, rather than turning away, led me towards a deeper exploration and speculation about an alternate existence my father might have embraced. I delved into this phenomenon, discovering that numerous families mirrored ours. In the process, I encountered geographically specific derogatory terminology, such as “fruits,” aimed at othering and marginalizing queer communities. This is the background story that inspired me creating “Fruit Portraits”.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

For me, one of the most rewarding aspects of being an artist is the profound connection I build with my audience. Through my art, I aim to create a medium that encourages viewers to open up, providing a safe space for them to share and collaborate. A poignant memory that encapsulates this involved an elderly individual who, moved by my ‘Fruit Portraits,’ shared a deeply personal narrative of his father’s homosexuality and his own struggle with layered emotions. My connection to him was not merely artist-to-viewer but transcended into a shared realm of understanding, empathy, and mutual exploration of complex familial narratives. I conveyed not just my lack of resentment towards my father, but also an emotional tapestry woven with empathy, curiosity, and introspection. In that precious interaction, both of us found a different lens through which to perceive our experiences and emotions. It was a moment of shared vulnerability and unspoken understanding that has lingered with me, subtly influencing my subsequent creations and interactions. These experiences illuminate the potent universality embedded within art, where specific, personal narratives somehow weave into the broader, variegated tapestry of human experiences and emotions. The safe spaces created through art enable suppressed stories and emotions to surface, to be acknowledged, validated, and perhaps, understood in new lights.

And I will have a show with Jiaming You on October 20th at Wdot Gallery, I am looking forward to having more insight from the audiences.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

At the age of 24, my life took on profound new meanings—I stepped into the roles of both a wife and a mother. The ensuing eight years, which I dedicated to raising my son, were among the most treasured times of my life. The joy of witnessing each of his milestones, of being there for him around the clock, is indescribable. But as I immersed myself in freelance photography, capturing intimate moments of numerous families, I was struck by an overarching narrative. It was a tale of countless women, often sidelined, rarely acknowledged for their relentless contributions to their families. Their stories, echoing the silent struggles of so many, resonated deeply with my own experiences. This revelation became a turning point for me. My soul sought a platform, a voice, and a purpose that transcended the boundaries of traditional roles. Feeling that an academic foundation would lend more conviction and depth to my artistic voice, I relocated to Chicago to pursue my academic artistic practice. This decision was not just a pursuit of education; it was a way to make my expressions more resonant and convincing. Through my art, I now challenge societal norms, question deeply ingrained patriarchal perspectives, and illuminate the multifaceted experiences of women. What does ‘normalcy’ truly represent, and who gets to define it? How has a patriarchal framework influenced our roles, beliefs, and dreams? These inquiries are the driving forces behind my work, spurring both introspection and a broader dialogue.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.linyejiang.com
• Instagram: Linye.j
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/linyejiang1/
• Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/linye-jiang-art
• Youtube: @linyejiang

Image Credits
my portrait credit: Huangxu Yi