Liu Bolin

LIU BOLIN

Magda Danysz Gallery

Liu Bolinprevious page : Nine Dragon Series photography mounted on aluminiumpieces of 150x118cm / 120x95cm / 80x63cm 92011

LIU BOLIN, The Invisible Man

In his work, Liu has always given special attention to the various social problems that accompany China's rapid economic development, making social politics the crux of his pictorial commentaries. In "Hiding in the City", Liu made one of his particular focuses slogans as an educational tool used within Communist societies, pointing out that many people become used to the slogans over time and cease to pay conscious attention to these messages' effects on the public's thinking. By painting his body into some such slogans, Liu forces the viewer to acknowledge the.messages and, in the process, to reconsider the circumstances of one's own life

The "Hiding in the City" series has inspired similar subsequent series by Liu Bolin. In particular, "Shadow" draws on the same concept of the helplessness of the individual; however, instead of taking the individual in the face of society as its focal point, "Shadow" explores the relationship of the individual to its naturalenvironment. Rather than painting himself into the background of various man-

made structures, as he did in "Hiding in the City", here Liu lay on surfaces during periods of rain, keeping the space directly below his body dry. The flat human figure created by his presence always quickly disappeared when Liu moved away,.demonstrating the extent to which humans are helpless before their environment

Liu BolinHidding in the City n°9photography mounted on aluminium160x82.5cm / 120x61.9cm / 80x41.2cm2006

Liu BolinHidding in the City n°31 photography mounted on aluminium150x116cm / 120x93cm / 80x62cm2006

Liu BolinHidding in the City n°33photography mounted on aluminium150x122cm / 120x98cm / 80x65cm2006

Liu BolinShadows series, Traffic lights, n°2photography mounted on aluminium240x88cm / 150x55cm2010

LIU BOLIN, a complete body of works

I Liu Bolin is also working from his beginnings on an extensive body of works which includes paintings and a large number of sculptures. Either all white or made of mirrored surface, these are a consistent echo to the invisible man series of photographs. Bolin’s sculptures tend to disappear in the space. Traditional furniture gains a contemporary look with the shiny surface yet it echoes with the artist’s photographic work. By literally blending.in the space, Liu Bolin’s subjects are the reflection of today situation for any individual

Liu BolinFiststainless steel 30x28x25cm, also 120x120x90 cm 08-2007

Liu BolinMan in the Fiststainless steel 125x43x63cm 2007

Liu BolinMan in the Fiststainless steel 130x65x50cm 2008

Liu BolinFurniture series n°1 stainless steel 190x60x115 cm 2008

Liu BolinFurniture series n°2 stainless steel 190x60x115 cm 2008

Liu BolinFurniture series n°3 with flowers stainless steel 220x140x75 cm 2008

Making of

For Liu, the most important element of his images is the background. Each image requires meticulous planning and execution: as both artist and performer, Liu directs the photographer on how to compose each scene before entering the frame. Once situated, he puts on a monochromatic uniform, which he wears for all of his Invisible Man photographs and, with the help of an assistant and painter, is painted seamlessly into the scene. This process can sometimes take up to 10 hours with Liu having to stand perfectly still. Although the end result of Liu’s process is the .photograph, the tension between his body and the landscape is itself is important

In March 2012 Liu Bolin visited New York — where, just last year, he’d painted himself into a Kenny Scharf mural — but this time he wouldn’t be the canvas: he painted.the French street artist JR into his own monumental photo-mural on Spring Street

In an unusual twist on Bolin’s exhaustive camouflage process, he made the Brooklyn-based artist JR disappear into an enormous mural based on a photograph..of the pair — Bolin’s eye seen between JR’s fingers as he made a peace sign

Liu BolinHidding in the City making of

in New York in front of a Kenny Scharfmural 2011

Liu BolinHidding in the City making ofin New York collaboration work with JR2012

All Rights ReseRved. this book, oR pARts theReof, mAy not be RepRoduced in Any foRm without

wRitten peRmission of the publisheR. pRinted in the pRc.

Published by : MD Editions

Liu Bolin is a limited edition catalogue published by magda danysz gallery (paris / shanghai)

md editions on the occasion of vhils (aka Alexandre farto) solo show in shanghai from July 7th to

August 28th, 2012

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Liu Bolin

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