A series of hybrid sculptures, conceived by Liu Wei, now cast a shadow over New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art. From a hand trapped in bone-like tissue to a tower of nails and geometric metal cutouts, these imposing works explore the fusion of biological, technological, and architectural elements, each a chimera of origins.

Speaking from his Beijing studio, Liu reveals a method that defies strict blueprints, with layers of digital collage and 3D maquettes pieced together by a team of assistants. His process, rooted in disassembly and reassembly, mirrors the cycles of creation and destruction in contemporary society.

The sculptures, seen as anti-monuments, speak to a fragmented world where technology has replaced our physical senses. Liu’s use of spheres and hands, motifs that lack directionality and convey power, encapsulate the duality of human action and reaction in an age of constant change.

For the Met commission, Liu’s approach remains unchanged since his early days, when a computer crash after a month of work left him consumed with worry. His journey from oil painting to conceptual art reflects a broader shift in artistic expression, one that embraces the chaos of the modern era.