The Invisible Man
“My intention was not to disappear in the environment but instead to let the environment take possession of me” Said Liu Bolin. With his strong photography, Bolin vanishes into the city, creating a powerful statement about our relationship, as humans, to our surroundings.
His body acts a blank canvas against different urban backdrops; with the aid of his assistants, Bolin is perfectly painted to blend beautifully into the background, making it difficult to distinguish him from the environment around him. The artist’s vision is as clear and as powerful as he displays it in his work series. Starting in 2005 his art work included series of “Hiding in the City” and “The Invisible Man.”
The Invisible Man’s camouflage has attracted the world’s attention to his art. Starting in his hometown, Beijing, China, his later works were carried out through Venice, Paris and New York. At the beginning, Bolin was motivated to create the “Hiding In the City” series in Beijing as a silent protest against the demolition of Suo Jia Cun; the village of artists. As for his later works, Bolin manages to create his art in places that hold significant examples of the affect of economic and urban development on us as humans. His statements are far more than an individual’s expression; they connect to the worldwide society.
By:Ala’ Abuhasan