Artist Ani Liu Turns Breast Milk Microplastics Into Provocative Sculpture

Ani Liu, an artist and academic, has spent recent years examining microplastics through her work. Her latest project involves extracting these tiny particles from her own breast milk for a new sculptural piece. Currently, her art is featured at the Museum of Arts and Design in New York. Liu joined the Stuart Weitzman School of Design in autumn 2021 as the Carrafiell Assistant Professor (Emerging Design). There, she teaches Creative Research, a course that divides fine arts research into structured modules. Her approach encourages students to question how knowledge is created and shared.

Her recent focus on microplastics stems from a study by Italian researchers. For her upcoming installation, she has been filtering microplastics from her breast milk, blending scientific method with personal experience. Motherhood has long been a central theme in her work, and this project deepens that connection.

The piece will join her existing body of work, which explores the intersection of art, science, and everyday life. Visitors can see her current exhibition at the Museum of Arts and Design, where her ideas take physical form. Liu's installation will highlight the unseen presence of microplastics in intimate, biological spaces. The project builds on her ongoing research and teaching, which challenge traditional boundaries between art and science. Her work remains on display in New York for those interested in the overlap of creativity and environmental inquiry.