Born in 1978 in Beijing, Liu received his two degrees from art schools in Russia and the Netherlands and continued to study in France before relocating to New Zealand where he is currently based today.

 

Liu cites traditional Japanese artists and Chinese techniques as the key influences in his work. His paintings explore a desire to depart from the severity in tone and subject these older styles often contain, and instead focus on incorporating modern elements alongside traditional ones. His practice revolves around the concept of an “interactive society,” presenting the viewer with elements drawn from Western and Eastern cultures, a combination of past and future, tradition and innovation.

 

 

His compositions are frequently populated with whimsical motifs, a theme he is familiar with as a father and a teacher of children. The endless curiosity and vivid imagination that accompanies innocence is both inspiration and source material for Liu. His Mushroom series consists of 15 works that can be viewed as an allegory for the human body. Whereas mushrooms are characteristically defined by their lack of colour, Liu renders them with unnatural tones and intricate pattern to reflect our human need for self-expression; the way we assign identities to our bodies by crafting outward appearances. The lush landscapes serve as a reminder of the transience of human life within the timelessness of nature.

 

Liu works with traditional Chinese tools such as calligraphy brushes, allowing him to pain fluid forms and painstaking detail with greater control. He uses Chinese watercolour inks to complement his delicate and dreamlike subjects, and the shimmering silk that acts as his base material is further homage to his love of traditional Chinese art making.