LIU BOLIN – MASK
2013-06-17In Liu Bolin’s new series, Hiding in California, the artist makes use of his famed process to blend into the background of the iconic Hollywood sign in addition to the pioneering TED stage. Hiding in California No. 1 – TED speaks to the innovative, creative, and groundbreaking minds that take to the TED platform to affect change in the world. It is a representation of the speakers – Liu Bolin himself included – who compile their ideas and their efforts under the TED banner in order to spread their message and craft a better tomorrow.
Hiding in California No. 2 – Hollywood is a representation of the countless individuals who dedicate themselves to the entertainment world that Hollywood has come to symbolize. It also serves as a representation of those who are lost and forgotten in the pursuit of the fame that Hollywood epitomizes. Both of these works speak to an America that is in many ways similar to the themes the artist portrayed in the Hiding in New York series.
In an expansion of his Hiding in New York series, Liu Bolin’s photograph, Hiding in New York No. 6 – Intrepid, is a multifaceted work speaking to both the prevalence of American strength as well as the consequence of military dominance.
Mask is a new body of sculptures that craft a contemporary twist on traditional Peking Opera masks. Peking Opera masks are traditional forms of art that are used to depict heroes, legends, and gods found in Chinese history and culture. They are symbolic reflections of Chinese society and its values. By recreating these masks using the advertising and labeling of popular food and drink products seen throughout China, Liu Bolin addresses the rapidly changing, highly commercialized values of Chinese society. By adding a necessary layer to these works-welding masks – Liu Bolin speaks to the dangers Chinese face in their contemporary society. With constant risk of food and drink contamination, living in China can feel as dangerous as working with molten hot metal. For this reason, the series Mask – an evolution of a traditional art form – is intensely provocative.
Opposite – Hiding in California No. 2 – Hollywood, 2013
Exhibition runs through till July 21st, 2013
Eli Klein Fine Art
462 West Broadway
New York
NY
10012
