Om Liu Wei

When viewing Liu Wei’s work from the front, the skipped brushwork and lines make it seem like an ink and wash painting. The images in the work blur, are inenarrable and elusory. Is the artist expressing his thought in the abstract way? Or is there something else not found behind the images? When viewing these kinds of paintings for the first time, it is hard to understand, since we used to viewing and understanding a picture from the front. When we can not find a clear image in a picture, we often believe the artist is deliberately mystifying the subject. In Fact, Liu Wei expresses his thought in another way in his works. From the side of his painting or the reflection of the painting from a mirror, you will find some historical politicians, pop stars, movie stars and living scenes. It is surprising that they are so clear when you view them from the side and not from the front that you are used to.

Why is he showing us images in a side view that can also be seen in front view? Because the front view is not enough to express the modern artist’s complicated feelings in real life, and they have to find another way to express their true feelings that can’t be expressed from the front view. The generation of the visual image is closely related to perspective. Perspective not only can shorten visual phenomenon, but also can elongate visual phenomenon, so an image may bring us a different visual effects when we view it from different points of view. Liu Wei uses this theory in reverse to put stretched and deformed images on a picture to make the front view unclear, so that viewers have to change their point of view. This makes an interaction between the limited flat area and boundless 3D space, and realizes the shift and extension of images.

This transformation brings Liu Wei’s works a unique visual attraction, and it also illustrates his efforts to observe society and explore new practice. All his efforts are in keeping with the trend to develop contemporary art, and enrich the expression and experience of contemporary visual art.

By Gao Ling, 2008

Utbildning

1996 – Examen från Jiangsu Technical Teachers Institute, Fine Arts Faculty

2005 – Examen från Paintings and Art Study Studio, China Art Institute, Beijing

Utställningar

2008

Mindscapes Yan Gallery
– Hongkong, Kina

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2007

“He” Art Show Beijing
– Beijing, Kina

One man show Shanghai
– Shanghai, Kina

One man show Germany
– Tyskland

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2006

Beijing Dashan Zi Art Festival
– Beijing, Kina

Italian Art Gallery Fair
– Italien

Grupputställningar