Liu Bolin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Liu Bolin
刘勃麟 |
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Liu Bolin
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| Born | 7 January 1973 Shandong, China
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| Nationality | Chinese |
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Notable work
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Hiding in the city |
Liu Bolin (simplified Chinese: 刘勃麟; traditional Chinese: 劉勃麟; pinyin: Liú Bólín; born January 7, 1973) is a famous artist from China. He is known for his amazing self-portraits. In these artworks, he paints himself to blend in perfectly with his surroundings. People often call him "the invisible man." His most famous works are from a series called "Hiding in the City."
Liu Bolin earned his art degrees in China. He studied at the Shandong College of Arts and the Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing. His unique art has been shown in museums all over the world.
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Who is Liu Bolin?
Liu Bolin grew up in China during a time of big changes. The country was growing fast and becoming more stable. He now lives and works in Beijing, China.
Since his first art shows in Beijing in 1998, Liu's work has become famous worldwide. His special photographs and sculptures have been displayed at major art events. He has also had solo shows in cities like Paris, New York, Milan, and Rome.
His Amazing Art: Hiding in Plain Sight
Liu Bolin's most popular works are from his "Hiding in the City" series. These are photographic artworks that started as a type of art called performance art.
Why He Started 'Hiding'
Liu began his "Hiding in the City" series in 2005. This was after an artists' village in Beijing, where he worked, was torn down. This demolition happened to prepare for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Liu felt strongly about this event. He decided to use his art as a quiet way to protest. He wanted to show that Chinese artists needed more protection from their government. By painting himself into different places in Beijing, he created a space for artists. He also showed their often difficult relationship with their surroundings.
Messages in His Art
Liu Bolin often uses his art to highlight social issues in China. He focuses on problems that come with fast economic growth. In "Hiding in the City," he sometimes blends into public slogans. These slogans are messages used to teach people in society.
Liu points out that people often get used to these slogans and stop thinking about them. By painting himself into them, he makes viewers notice the messages again. This makes people think about their own lives and surroundings.
Beyond the City
The "Hiding in the City" series has inspired other similar projects by Liu Bolin. One series is called "Shadow." It also explores how helpless individuals can feel. But instead of focusing on society, "Shadow" looks at people's relationship with nature.
In "Shadow," Liu lies on surfaces when it rains. He keeps the space directly under his body dry. When he moves, the human shape quickly disappears. This shows how small and helpless humans can be when facing nature.
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Liu Bolin also took his "Hiding in the City" idea to other places. He created similar series in cities like Venice, Milan, Rome, and New York City. He chose Italy because of its long art history. He chose New York City because of the strong feelings about humans and the things they create.
In 2011, Liu created his Hiding in New York series. For this, he blended into famous New York landmarks.
Collaborations and Other Projects
Liu Bolin has worked with famous fashion designers like Gaultier and Valentino. His work was featured in Harper's Bazaar magazine. He also worked with French artist JR.
In 2015, Liu started a project called "MIGRANTS." He chose to blend into a boat that carried migrants from Africa to Italy. This boat had a sad history, as some children had drowned trying to reach the shore. Liu wanted to show the arrival of these people and the start of their future. He said, "Being immigrants lying on the sand, for someone they may seem dead; instead my intent is to describe their arrival and the start of their future."
In his "Target" series, Liu Bolin makes more than one person disappear into the background. This is different from "Hiding in the City," where he is usually the only one blending in.
In 2009, Liu made a special artwork to honor US President Barack Obama's visit to China. In 2013, he created the artwork for the rock band Bon Jovi's album What About Now.
Exhibitions Around the World
Liu Bolin's art has been shown in many places. Here are some of his solo and group exhibitions:
Solo Exhibitions
- 2018: "Le théâtre des apparences," Musée de l'Élysée, Switzerland.
- 2014: "Liu Bolin: Fade in Italy," Boxart, Verona, Italy.
- 2012: "Liu Bolin. A Secret Tour," Museo H.C. Andersen, Rome, Italy.
- 2011: The Invisible Man, Klein Sun Gallery, New York, NY.
- 2010: Hiding in the City, Museo de Bellas Artes, Caracas, Venezuela.
Group Exhibitions
- 2015: Interact: Deconstructing Spectatorship: East Wing Biennial, The Courtauld Institute of Art, London, England.
- 2011: Fotográfica Biennale, Museo de Fotografía, Bogotá, Colombia.
- 2010: The Right to Protest, Museum on the Seam, Jerusalem, Israel.
- 2009: The Big World: Recent Art from China, Chicago Cultural Center, Chicago, USA.
- 2007: Les Rencontres d'Arles, Arles, France.
See also
In Spanish: Liu Bolin para niños
