"Share Everything": Music with Pixy and Moro

Yechen Zhao

Both were drawn to Memphis because of the city’s musical legacy. As Pixy explained in a previous interview, “I didn’t know anything about the States, but I knew about Elvis, and I love musicians. I thought it could be fun, so I went!”

Pixy went to study photography, Moro music, and these two threads have woven together throughout their partnership. Pixy has been using her ongoing portrait series, Experimental Relationship, to playfully document their life together since 2007; much of that series is on view in this summer’s exhibition Relationship Material. The pair also formed a band together several years into their relationship, calling it PIMO after a common nickname for the duo.

A color photograph of a dark-haired, light-skinned Asian man and woman in a multiuse apartment space. The woman stands behind a camera on a tripod that is pointed at the viewer; she holds the shutter release. The man, behind her, rests on a chaise longue. They both look at the viewer. — *Photographer and Her Muse I*, 2014

Pixy Liao

Courtesy of the artist. © Pixy Liao

As Pixy describes it, Moro is the “leader in almost everything” for the band, from songwriting to directing their music videos, some of which are on view in the exhibition. In this respect, PIMO inverts the power dynamics of Pixy’s photography series with Moro, whose compositions she usually directs. At the same time, PIMO reflects the foundational role that music has played—and continues to play—in their artistic and romantic partnership.

A color photograph of a dark-haired, light-skinned Asian man and woman on a couch. She lies on her stomach, her head propped up on her folded arms. He kneels beside her, massaging her shoulders. They both look out at the viewer. — *Massage Time (tribute to my favorite album cover)*, 2015

Pixy Liao

Courtesy of the artist. © Pixy Liao

An album cover includes a color photograph of a light-skinned man and woman on a couch. She has reddish shoulder-length hair and lies on her stomach, her head propped up on her folded arms. He has dark hair and a mustache and kneels beside her, massaging her shoulders. They both look out at the viewer. In addition to the album title, there is a circle with the words "Explicitly Illustrated Instruction Booklet Enclosed." — Cover of Robert Wotherspoon’s *Music to Massage Your Mate By*, 1976

While the photographs in Experimental Relationship make frequent reference to art history, film, and other artifacts of popular culture, one work stands out for its explicit homage to a record cover: Massage Time mimics the cover of a little-known jazz album from 1976, Robert Wotherspoon’s Music to Massage Your Mate By.

A color photograph of sheer triangular tent in which a man and woman kneel looking out. The tent sits in the middle of a field of green grass encircled by trees. — *PIMO Onigiri*, 2024

Pixy Liao

Courtesy of the artist. © Pixy Liao

When I asked Pixy and Moro if they could share a playlist containing some of their favorite music, they quickly replied that they already had one—PIMO Radio—a growing collection of music that forms the soundtrack to their home. I requested they highlight a few tracks and comment on their significance to them. Pixy writes: “You can see the difference between a musician’s choice and a music fan’s choice.”

—Yechen Zhao, assistant curator, Photography and Media

Pixy’s Selections

“Bachelorette” by Björk
From the album Homogenic (1997)
This song is my all-time favorite. I love the first line: I’m a fountain of blood, in the shape of a girl. I even made a piece of sculpture inspired by the lyrics. Also, the music video directed by Michel Gondry is a piece of art in itself.

“Hey” by Pixies
From the album Doolittle (1989)
My favorite song from my favorite band. It gives me a head orgasm whenever I hear it. Also I love the monkey on the cover of the album. P.S. My nickname is not from them, pure coincidence!

“The Flower of Carnage” by Meiko Kaji (1974)

An album cover shows a woman in a very pale blue kimono holding a sword above her head and two oversized fans opened in front of her. On the left are Japanese characters in red.

This song’s Japanese title is “Shura no Hana,” and it was originally the theme song for the 1973 martial arts film Lady Snowblood, in which Meiko Kaji starred. The song is also known for being used in the soundtrack of the 2003 Quentin Tarantino movie Kill Bill, Volume 1. I love the original film and adore the actress Meiko Kaji. Sometimes I sing along to the song and imagine myself as her in Lady Snowblood.

A color photograph of a light-skinned Asian woman kneeling on a tatami mat in a traditional Japanese structure. She wears a pink kimono, but her left arm is pulled out of the sleeve, mildly flexing, and in her left hand she holds the shutter release for an unseen camera. She looks daringly at the viewer. — *The woman who clicks the shutter*, 2018

Pixy Liao

Courtesy of the artist. © Pixy Liao

“Try” by Delta 5 (1980)
A British post-punk band active around 1980 with a cool female vocal singer. I love how energetic this song is, and it seems like a very positive song for me.

Try, try
Try, try,
Try, try,

Try, try
Let me in on a secret
Try, try
I know you’ll tell someone
Try, try
Tell me what you think you want to

“Yamete!” by PIMO (2015)
Self-promotion of one of our songs. Yamete is a Japanese word meaning “STOP.” It’s a song about sexual harassment on the train. The high school girl transitioned from being cute to cruel.

Moro’s Selections

“Lá Vem a Baiana” by João Gilberto
Recorded in the home of Carlos Coqueijo on November 28, 1960
This rare live recording of João Gilberto is my recent favorite. It hasn’t been officially released as an album, but it can be heard online. It’s kinda funny that a dog starts barking in the background at the end, but I find the performance so personal, and I really like it.

“No me den candela” by Willie Colón and Héctor Lavoe
From the album Guisando: Doing a Job (1969)
Recently, I’ve been learning this salsa song and trying to sing it with my terrible Japanese accent.

“Memphis, Tennessee” by Chuck Berry
From the album Chuck Berry On Stage (1959)
This song really reminds me of Memphis, where I met Pixy. I can picture the scenery of Southern Avenue, where Pixy drove me to a cheap supermarket called Superlo.

A color photograph of a dark-haired, light-skinned Asian man and woman standing by a small river. They stand front to front; he is naked, facing away from the viewer, and she wears a knee-length dress, facing toward the viewer. She hugs her arms around him, decisively grabbing his butt. Her chin rests on his right shoulder as she looks out at the viewer. — *Get a firm grasp of your man*, 2010

Pixy Liao

Courtesy of the artist. © Pixy Liao

“Tokyo Lover” by Mioko Yamaguchi
From the album Yume Hiko (1980)
I was into 80s music for some time and came across Mioko-san’s music. Her first album, Yume Hiko, was recorded on reel-to-reel tape and sound designed by Yellow Magic Orchestra’s Matsutake-san. I love how warm the sound feels on this album and how they used synths to visualize the stories.

“Tornado Waltz” by PIMO
From the album Hello Again (2023)
If I had to pick one song from our band, this would be it. I guess I have a tendency to like songs with dissonant chords.

A color slide shows a dark-haired, light-skinned Asian man and woman sitting on a park bench. She has her mouth open as if singing or speaking. He is playing a ukulele. The caption for the video reads, "We are all floating on the hot air balloon." — Still from the music video for *Tornado Waltz*

Pixy Liao: Relationship Material is on view July 26–December 8, 2025, in the lower-level Photography and Media galleries 1–4. Pixy and Moro will join curator Yechen Zhao in a conversation followed by a performance on the exhibition’s opening day, Saturday, July 26, at 1:00.