Benjamin Liu

Benjamin Liu (born 1952 ), also known as Ming Vauze, is a Taiwanese-born designer, creative producer, and drag queen. He is best known for serving as American Pop artist Andy Warhol's personal assistant from 1982 to 1986. Before joining Warhol's Factory, Liu worked for Venezuelan artist and window dresser Victor Hugo, through whom he met Warhol. After relocating from San Francisco to New York City in the late 1970s, Liu became involved in the city's downtown nightclub scene as a drag performer. During the 1980s, he worked as a jewelry designer before expanding into nightclub design. In 1996, Liu co-authored the book Unseen Warhol with John O'Connor.

Life and career Benjamin Liu was born in Taipei, Taiwan. Because his father was a diplomat for the Taiwanese government, he spent his childhood in several countries, including Turkey, the Philippines, Taiwan, Cyprus, and the United States. Unknowingly, he was connected to Halston's residence, where Hugo was living with fashion designer Halston. Inspired by the city's cultural scene, Liu later relocated to New York. By then, Hugo had moved into a loft at 109 Fifth Avenue, where he offered Liu a place to stay.

During this period, Liu began performing in drag under the stage name Ming Vauze. He lip-synched to records at New York nightclubs such as Xenon and the Pyramid Club.

In September 1982, Warhol hired Liu as his bodyguard. He was soon promoted to personal and studio assistant. Liu became a close friend and accompanied Warhol to social engagements. Working closely with Warhol during the artist's final years, Liu assisted in the production of several portrait commissions and series at the Factory. In 1986, Liu photographed Warhol wearing a black turtleneck and his "fright wig." These Polaroid photographs became the source material for Warhol's final Self-Portrait paintings, produced for Anthony d'Offay Gallery in London. In 1990, Liu coordinated fashion by designer Anni Kuan and performance by Hong Kong singer Maria Cordero.

Liu was commissioned by the New York nightclub Mars to design a four-story nightclub in Bangkok, Thailand, which opened in 1990.

In 1996, Liu co-authored Unseen Warhol with John O'Connor, the former advertising art director of Interview magazine. Published by Rizzoli, the book combines reproductions of Warhol's lesser-known works with interviews of former Factory members and previously unpublished photographs, offering a behind-the-scenes portrait of the artist. To mark its publication, Barneys New York transformed its third and fourth floors into a recreation of the Factory for the book launch. The event featured music from Studio 54 and previously unseen footage of Grace Jones, Jerry Hall, William S. Burroughs, and others.

In 2022, Liu appeared in the Netflix docuseries The Andy Warhol Diaries.