LIU BOLIN (China)
Liu Bolin was born in 1973 in China where he lives and works. Known for his Invisible Man photo-performance, Liu Bolin has through the years been working on different subsequent themes. Liu Bolin’s work always requires a meticulous planning and execution. It all lies in the perfection of the vision, whether it is an illusion or just a mirror surface. He uses 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 creates a tension that challenges the viewer to question what is above and beneath the surface. For Liu, the most important element of his images is the background. As both artist and performer, Liu decides how to compose each scene before entering the frame. Once situated, he puts on his uniform, painted seamlessly to hide himself in the scene. Although the end result of Liu’s process is the photograph, the tension between his body and the landscape is an important aspect to the process.