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Amy Liu’s solo exhibition, “Pearled Chiaroscuro,” is on view at Harper’s Apartment on New York’s Upper East Side through Nov. 19, 2026. The paintings combine layered oil techniques and Renaissance-inspired light and shadow with images of women in ornate gowns and jewelry that often conceal their faces. The exhibition draws on Liu’s background as a trained soprano and uses fashion to explore status and identity.
Amy Liu’s solo exhibition “Pearled Chiaroscuro” is on view at Harper’s Apartment on New York City’s Upper East Side through November 19, 2026. The exhibition brings together oil paintings of elaborately dressed women whose faces are partly or fully obscured. The works use light and shadow, pearls, and opera-inspired imagery to examine how clothing and ornament can signal status while concealing the wearer, according to a report by Colossal.
The paintings are built through layers of oil pigment over underpaintings, a preparation method Colossal traces to early Renaissance practice. The report says the technique’s first use is attributed to Jan van Eyck, who applied a monochrome glaze to panels to establish tonal values before adding the rest of the image. Liu’s title refers to chiaroscuro—Italian for “light-dark”—the use of strong contrasts between shadow and illumination.
Colossal connects the exhibition’s visual approach to Renaissance painters including Caravaggio, Leonardo da Vinci, and Artemisia Gentileschi, whose works often set dramatically lit figures against deep shadows. Liu turns that contrast toward women in embellished gowns and elaborate jewelry, with pearls recurring across the paintings. Her subjects are not primarily defined by their identities as performers or spectators; instead, the works emphasize their garments and adornments.
In “Il Bacio di Venere”, or “The Kiss of Venus,” an elaborate face covering decorated with large pearls and rubies gives the figure an eerie, almost alien appearance, according to Colossal. In “Colei che Danza col Vento,” translated as “She Who Dances with the Wind,” pearls densely cover the figure’s eyes. The exhibition also includes paintings titled “Perle al Chiaro di Luna,” “Cuore di Giada,” “Signora al Teatro dell’Opera,” and “In Ascolto della Notte Stellata.”
How Ornament Shapes the Figures
The exhibition’s central tension is between display and concealment. Liu’s richly decorated gowns and jewelry draw attention, while veils and pearl-covered eyes obscure the women’s identities. Colossal reports that the paintings treat fashion as both a marker of status and a means of expressing selfhood, while also suggesting that clothing can mask the person beneath it.
The paintings direct attention away from conventional portrait clues such as a clearly visible face. The garments are the main means of reading each figure, but they do not provide a definitive account of who the wearer is. The contrast between jewelry and dark surroundings keeps ornament visible while identity remains concealed.
The show brings together several elements of Liu’s practice described in the report: Renaissance painting methods, theatrical presentation, and her experience as a trained soprano. The opera references frame the figures through costume and spectacle, whether they are imagined as performers or members of an audience.
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Renaissance Technique Meets Opera
Colossal describes the layered preparation behind Liu’s paintings as a link to early Renaissance panel painting. In the method outlined in the report, an underpainting establishes tonal structure before additional pigment layers build the finished image. Liu’s oil paintings apply that process to contemporary scenes of luxury and theatrical dress.
The exhibition’s title names its other historical reference: chiaroscuro, the contrast of light and dark. The report places that tradition in relation to artists such as Caravaggio, Leonardo da Vinci, and Artemisia Gentileschi. Liu’s work uses contrasts between illuminated figures and shadow, with pearls, gemstones, and ornate fabric among the features of the compositions.
Opera is a personal point of connection for Liu, who is described by Colossal as a trained soprano. The source does not provide a detailed account of her musical career or explain how individual canvases relate to specific operas. It says that the exhibition evokes a night at the opera and directs attention toward clothing rather than establishing the identities of its figures.
“Figures are abstracted and their identities deliberately concealed, as if supporting the ornamentation rather than the other way around.”
— Harper’s, as quoted by Colossal
Details Beyond the Exhibition Report
The available report does not give a complete checklist of the exhibition, the total number of paintings, or details about prices, sales, or public programming. It identifies several works and their materials and dimensions, but does not establish whether the named paintings are the entire presentation.
Colossal’s account interprets the imagery as an exploration of status, selfhood, and concealment. The source does not include a direct interview with Liu explaining how she understands each painting, so the report’s thematic description should not be treated as a complete statement of the artist’s intent. It also does not specify whether the exhibition’s closing date or schedule has changed since publication.
Exhibition Runs Through November 19
According to Colossal, “Pearled Chiaroscuro” continues at Harper’s Apartment on the Upper East Side through November 19, 2026. Readers seeking practical details such as visiting hours, admission, or appointment requirements should check directly with Harper’s; those details are not included in the source report.
The report also points readers to Liu’s Instagram for more of her work. No further exhibition dates, a closing event, or subsequent projects are specified in the material available here.
Key Questions
Where is Amy Liu’s “Pearled Chiaroscuro” showing?
The exhibition is at Harper’s Apartment on New York City’s Upper East Side, according to Colossal.
When does the exhibition end?
Colossal reports that the show continues through November 19, 2026. The source does not provide visiting hours or admission information.
What does “chiaroscuro” mean?
Chiaroscuro is Italian for “light-dark” and refers to strong contrasts between light and shadow. The report connects Liu’s use of the effect to Renaissance painting.
Why do the figures’ faces appear concealed?
The paintings use veils, jewelry, and other ornament to obscure some figures’ identities. Harper’s describes the figures as deliberately concealed, while Colossal says the works focus on how fashion can convey status and a sense of self while also masking the wearer.
What materials and methods does Liu use?
The works described are oil paintings made with layers of pigment over underpaintings. The source presents this preparation as a method associated with early Renaissance practice.
Source: thisiscolossal.com
