Beneath the surface

Liu Bolin: Hiding in the City

The relationship between the state and society in China has been ground for producing controversial works of art such as the iconic photograph of Tank Man — the lone civilian standing up to the People’s Liberation Army in Tiananmen Square — or Ai Weiwei’s Study in Perspective, both of which seek a spiritual redress in their defiance of authority. In this sociopolitical tradition stands the work of the Beijing-based artist Liu Bolin, who employs photography as a means to explore the Chinese national identity while silently protesting its government. His series Hiding in the City was born out of the governmental eviction and subsequent destruction of his Beijing studio in 2005. As a result, Liu began to use the city around him as a backdrop, painting himself to blend in with a landscape in constant flux. By literally blending into the city, Liu, who considers himself an outsider, creates a tension that challenges the viewer to question what is on and beneath the surface. 

Although the end result of Liu’s process is the photograph, the tension between his body and the landscape is itself a manifestation of China’s incredible social and physical change. Simultaneously a protester and a performance artist, Liu completely deconstructs himself by becoming invisible, becoming a symbol of the humanity hidden within the confines of a developing capital. 

Main story at:  http://lightbox.time.com/2012/03/20/liu-bolin/#1
Read more: Hiding in the City With Liu Bolin - LightBox http://lightbox.time.com/2012/03/20/liu-
bolin/#ixzz3NRCzE0Kf

Gallery of Bolin's works: http://www.kleinsungallery.com/artist/liu_bolin/works/

TED TALKS:  The Invisible Man - Video lecture by artist, Liu Bolin.
Can a person disappear in plain sight?  That's the question Lui Bolin's remarkable work seems to ask. The Beijing-based artist is sometimes called "The Invisible Man" because in nearly all of his art, Bolin is front and center -- and completely unseen.  He aims to draw attention to social and political issues by dissolving into the background.