WINDING ROAD by Brandyn Liu
BĀS Bookshop is proud to present a photo exhibition from one of our very own, Brandyn Liu. Born and raised here in Hawai'i, Liu explores his experiences growing up on the north shore of O'ahu.
Winding Road refers to a four mile section of Kaukonahua road on the north shore of Oahu. The road connects the towns of Waialua and Wahiawa, the home towns of parents. Initially starting off with the intent to create photographs along this road, the series rather evolved into photographs that represent feelings, experiences and memories that have been enabled through this road. My goal with this exhibition was to use the gallery space itself as a figurative representation of the road, thus photos on the Mauka wall of the gallery are symbolic of moments experienced in my mothers home of Wahiawa, while the Makai wall represents experiences felt on my fathers home of the North Shore. Continuing this thematic, the photographs displayed are printed on a sugar cane base fine art paper, the crop which previously filled the hills between the two towns.
When I began my journey as a photographer, I knew I always wanted to create something about Hawai’i, but despite being born and raised in Hawai’i I felt timid at times to explore certain topics for reasons such as not being Native Hawaiian or not being from a certain community. These reasons lead me to look inward to explore my identity and experience as a “local.” -Brandyn Liu
Winding Road will be on view until October 30th. at BāS Bookshop.
Photo/ Micah Lacio