Liuli

(Taiwanese, Glass 1987-Present)

“To continuously create art for the good of the heart”
— Liuli mission

Liuli Gongfang, or Liuli for short, is a contemporary crystal art studio originally based in Taiwan. The brand was founded in 1987 by popular Taiwanese actress, Loretta H. Yang, and director, Chang Yi, after the pair mutually gave up their film careers at their height to pursue glass art. At its founding, Liuli was the first glass workshop across all of Taiwan and China and would quickly become Asia’s leading brand of crystal art. Yang and Yi would also be considered the founders of Chinese glass art following their seemingly spontaneous artistic endeavor. Liuli works display a beautiful arrangement of subject matter including Buddhist imagery, flowers, water, animals, zodiac, and Chinese symbolism and philosophy. They have a modern appeal while staying true to their traditional roots. Liuli combines environment, art, and history in their crystal treasures. Their ornate works are not limited by the fixedness of the glass medium, displaying pure and colorful movement in every piece. Throughout Liuli’s beginnings, their mission has remained to transform love and heritage into sculpture. According to Liuli, their brand is an “embodiment of culture, life, philosophy, and passion.” Glass is more than a creative medium to Liuli, as their timeless crystal sculptures successfully reflect the spiritual bond between human and nature.

Liuli faced humble beginnings, despite the founders previously having had successful careers in the entertainment industry. Upon its founding in 1987, Liuli began as a small, two-person shop in Tamsui, Taiwan, now known as New Taipei City. The pair underestimated exactly how much it would cost to build their business, but by the time Liuli was formed and they had perfected their glass crafting skills, they had invested over a million US dollars and three years’ time. Yang even mortgaged both her and her mother’s homes to build enough capital for Liuli. Regardless of cost or profits, both Yang and Yi knew that they were committed to incorporating Chinese culture into the world of glass art. Yang handled most of the artistic aspects of the brand in the beginning, while Yi managed finances and business responsibilities, until 1997 when Yi survived an unfortunate heart attack. Since then, their roles have switched, placing more of the administrative tasks, including media appearances, into Yang’s hands.

“Liuli” is a Chinese term that has multiple meanings and origins, but it translates directly to “ancient crystal art,” making the perfect name to honor the cultural origins of Yang and Yi’s works. Dedicated to reflecting Chinese culture in their art, the Liuli brand soared upon their revival of the craft of pâte de verre or “lost-wax casting.” The pâte de verre method, which involves a process of sculpture casting from a wax original, nearly disappeared following the First and Second Opium Wars between the British and French Empires and the Qing dynasty of China by the end of the 19th century. In 1968, archaeologists discovered the tomb of Hopei nobleman Liu Shun, unveiling the earliest known example of pâte de verre, an ancient glass ear cup. The discovery proved that the pâte de verre technique, popular in France at the time, was in fact indigenous to China. Liuli’s reincarnation of pâte de verre requires six to eight months to complete each piece and a twelve-step process of molding, casting, carving, and polishing. Although tedious, Liuli’s application of the ancestral technique allows for incredible detail and room to express their unique artistic vision.

It is no doubt that Liuli has faced worldwide success and recognition since their founding. In 2001, Loretta was invited to participate in a joint exhibition with renowned American glass artist, Dale Chihuly. She is also the first Chinese artist to ever exhibit art in France. Having started as a small, two-person shop, Liuli would transform into a brand that employs over 900 artists across 67 locations worldwide. One of their studio locations exists in the United States at South Coast Plaza in Orange County, and it is here that they would have their first retrospective exhibition in the United States in 2019. Liuli works are sold in several premium retailers including the Wynn and David Orgell in Las Vegas, Gump’s in San Francisco, London Jeweler, and the Corning Museum in New York. Liuli’s innovative pieces can also be viewed in over 22 permanent collections worldwide, including at: the Victoria and Albert Museum in London; Palace Museum in Beijing; Shanghai Fine Arts Museum; Tsui Museum of Art in Hong Kong; Medicine Buddha Temple in Japan; Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris; National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington, DC; Bowers Museum in California; New York Museum of Arts and Design; and The Corning Museum of Glass. Most notably, Yang & Yi’s original works are found in the Liuli China Museum of Glass in Shanghai, China, which is Asia’s first all-encompassing liuli art museum. Here, over 260 liuli artifacts from various renowned artists are on view, including Loretta Yang’s large-scale Buddhist sculpture titled Guanyin of a Thousand Eyes and Arms.

The impact that Liuli has made in the world of glass art as well as the preservation of Chinese history is profound. Loretta Yang and Chang Yi, considered the founders of Chinese glass art, created a world-renowned glasswork brand out of nearly nothing in the name of honoring their culture and the art of glass. They reintroduced an ancient Chinese method into modern glass art, and their luxury works are now found in homes, museums, galleries, and retailers across the world. Liuli’s mission, to create art for the good of the heart, is successfully displayed through their ethereal works to glass art collectors, appreciators, and viewers across the globe.

American Fine Art, Inc. is proud to feature the original glassworks of Liuli Gongfang. Visit our 12,000 sq. ft. showroom in Scottsdale, Arizona or call today. Our website is offered only as a limited place to browse or refresh your memory and is not a reflection of our current inventory. To learn more about collecting, pricing, value, or any other art information, please contact one of our International Art Consultants. We look forward to giving you the one on one attention you deserve when building your fine art collection. We hope you find our website helpful and look forward to seeing you in Scottsdale soon.