Dubai - Through his art, he wants to draw attention to the social and political issues being witnessed around the world. But why?
Published: Wed 16 Mar 2016, 11:00 PM
Updated: Thu 17 Mar 2016, 7:59 AM
At the age of 6, Chinese artist Liu Bolin had little to keep himself entertained, but the boredom that stemmed from his childhood soon sparked something inside him.
"As a child I didn't have many toys, so I would make my own by hand. Whatever I made looked really good and they were just as good as what you'd buy in a shop. That's when I'd say I first became interested in art," he tells Khaleej Times through his translator, Phang Phang.
Today, Bolin - who is often referred to as 'The Invisible Man' because of his silent but powerful approach to art - is often front and centre of his eclectic mix of work, yet he is rarely ever seen.
Decorating his body and clothes with colour - either using paint or photographic print - Bolin dissolves into the background of his subject and surroundings. And the message he has is clear.
What and When
> Dubai Art Season runs from March 1 to April 30.
> The 11-day Sikka Art Fair is taking place amongst the wind towers of Al Fahidi and will conclude on March 24
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Through his art, he wants to draw attention to the social and political issues being witnessed around the world. But why?
After graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Shandong College of Arts in China in 1995, Bolin said he spent 10 years going from "job to job". "I worked a lot of jobs and I lived in a low class area."
But there was one particular experience which inspired him to bring to light the woes of people around the world, he said.
"I applied for a teacher's position at a local school. I didn't get offered it because in China ability is not important - you have to have connections. And if you don't have connections, you will never be deemed powerful. I didn't have connections." This month, Bolin is exhibiting at Sikka Art Fair 2016 as part of Dubai Art Season.
The idea for his first piece was born following a visit to Dubai Museum. After coming across a picture of local people fishing in old Dubai in the 1930s, he asked the help of some Indian and Pakistani labourers here.
"I wanted to show people just how far Dubai has come. It has transitioned from old to modern, but has still kept its culture intact. I painted the labourers into the scene to blend with the original picture because they have worked so hard to build this city. They are part of Dubai's transition."
And after coming across a mosque during his first visit to Dubai just one week ago, he said he was "mystified by the beauty of the artwork on the ceiling".
"I was inspired by the Arabic culture for both my pieces for this art fair." -kelly@khaleejtimes.com
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