Pixy Yijun Liao’s strange photography challenges what relationships and love should be

Not only is creating an image of a man lying prone, dressed as a piece of sushi hilarious; it’s also a way of succinctly challenging the patriarchy. The beauty of this picture, as with the rest of photographer Pixy Yijun Liao’s work, is that it mixes instant gratification with more unsettling and politicised undertones. Her work was recently brought to our attention thanks to a feature in TjejLand magazine, a publication that represents only female photographers. In the new issue, Pixy was interviewed by Ana Rosado, and revealed to her that the inspiration for much of her work was taken from a conversation about her boyfriend. A male friend had asked the photographer about why she had chosen a boyfriend who was, in his eyes, more like a girlfriend: “younger, prettier and obedient.”

This was the catalyst for the wonderful ongoing series Experimental Relationship, whose protagonists Pixi and her partner subvert and challenge ideas about what makes a relationship work. “I see the world as an unequal place. There are always some people who have more rights than others, whether they are male or female,” says Pixi. “[My boyfriend] is sometimes very sensitive and fragile. It makes me imagine I’m a knight dating a princess, and I’m the little pea that makes him uncomfortable.”

Pixi’s work also graces the front cover of the new issue of TjejLand, which is available now. See here for stockist information.