/ 2025 / Fine Art / People

• Prize
  Honorable Mention
• Photographer
  Tian Liu, China
• Website
  https://tian-liu-x.com/
• Instagram
  @tian_liu_photo

“To Frida” is inspired by Frida Kahlo’s visual language—and especially her self-portrait in a man’s suit. This image inverts that gesture: placing a straight man in her symbolic space, adorned in florals, not to imitate her, but to echo her resistance. The softness here isn’t decoration—it’s disruption. By styling a masculine body through Frida’s lens, the portrait reframes what masculinity is allowed to hold, and how vulnerability can be seen without irony.

Tian Liu is a Chinese photographer, inspired by her living experiences between China and the U.S. Her work delves into identity, belonging, and gender, challenging societal norms and exploring personal and collective stories. Through her photography, Liu captures the nuances of cultural and personal narratives, aiming to connect individual experiences with larger societal themes. She received her M.F.A. in Photography and Media from the California Institute of the Arts in 2024.

Awards 2024 24th Julia Margaret Cameron Awards – Category Winner, Women Seen by Women
2024 PX3 Prix de la Photographie Paris - Honorable Mention