EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH
LIU BAOMIN
By Anastasia Tsypkina
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH LIU BAOMIN By Anastasia Tsypkina
At the core of Liu Baomin’s hyper realistic oil paintings is the tension between reality and illusion. Their splitting effects give the impression of perceiving familiar things as if through wet glass in a brand new distorted reality. A layer seems to push itself between the subject and the viewer, seperating objects and topics and making room for personal associations. Liu presents an illusion of reality, echoing current consumerist society. Liu believes consumerism makes us put “value” on everything, not just objects. We “value” our relationships, whether they be between people or between people and society, through the lens of consumerism. A lens just like the wet glass between his viewers and his subject matter, distorting and skewing reality.
Born 1968 in Xian, Shanxi Province. 1989, degree in oil painting from Xian Academy of Fine Arts. Numerous solo and group shows in Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Paris. Currently a professional painter, he lives in Song Zhuang, Beijing.
LIU BAOMIN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW By Anastasia Tsypkina
LIU BAOMIN on the GOLD LIST’s Cover by Art Market Magazine.
Liu Baomin. Salute to the Master. Nr.1. Oil on Canvas. 150X190 cm. 2015
A.T.: Hello Liu, Thank you for this interview, Your effort and time. Looking at your work, I find that it’s almost impossible to stop gazing at them. Please, tell us how do you reach such an effect, what’s your secret in holding the audience’s attention?
L.B.: First of all, I think it is my own unique and innovative painting language, which is a language with mobility and separateness. As through running water or frosted glass to watch the object, reality is distorted. The theme of this exhibition is basically familiar to all of you. I want to arouse your re-thinking through my unique description.
A.T.: What’s the main feature that defines Chinese pavilion from the other ones? Whose works did you appreciate the most?
L.B.: At this time, artists from the China pavilion have brought many colorful works of art, mainly oil paintings and sculptures. What I admire most is the works of artists Shun Lu and Fei Liu, as well as the works of Bing Xu.
A.T.: I’m really interested in your self-development as the artist. How did you come to such an unusual objects’ perception appeared in your works? Why the wet or splitting glass has become the main effect, distinguishing artistic language?
L.B.: This is a complex problem. To put it simply, having this perception, it is mainly because of the ideological impact brought by the great changes in social values and cognition after China’s reform and opening up. The education I received in the 60s is completely different from social cognition today. When we were young, what the whole society unrecognized and object to is exactly what the whole society is pursuing now, so I feel like I’m looking at the world through a medium, something like frosted glass. Through the medium, I cannot see the real image in the world, so I feel confused. I did not use this kind of frosted or cracked glass effect deliberately. I just think it is more accord with my current mood. My work before 2003 was actually very realistic.
I focused more on the illusion at that time, which I called “the big stage series”. Now I feel like I’m focusing on the phantasm, which I call “the fantasy series.” The best way to sum it up is to use a phrase from the “diamond sutra”: “Every phenomenon is virtual.
Every phenomenon is not the ontology.”
Liu Baomin. Salute to the master Nr. 3. Oil on Canvas. 150X190 cm
A.T.: Who are the most common characters in the paintings of LIU Baomin? Have you met them in real life or they are just the summa of your life experience?
L.B.: This is a good question. My love and my daughter are all common characters in my works, especially my daughter. I have painted many portraits of her since she was a child. Of course, some characters of my other works are social images taken from the internet as my memories and summary of past.
A.T.: Having got a degree in oil painting in China, did you follow any Chinese traditional style in painting or philosophy? Are you inspired by Chinese art today and how much it influences the technic or themes of your paintings?
L.B.: I don’t quite follow the Chinese traditional style, and of course it’s impossible to ignore it completely. As for me, Chinese contemporary art has exerted a greater influence on me, especially on the formation of my painting language.
A.T.: Can you guess, are there still boundaries between countries, in how they look and present art today? Do you notice some differences in perspective on art between art in China, in Europe or in the USA?
L.B.: Compared with European and American artists, Chinese artists have more limitations. European and American artists can show more art ideas and use more artistic means to maximize the presentation of their ideas and perception. Chinese artists, however, are dancing in iron fetters. Such differences are evident in the work.
A.T.: I’ve discovered that you’re quite concerned about consumerism problems and you are trying to reveal them using the help of your paintings. How does it works? What people should learn, or maybe realize looking at your works? Would it be correct to call your works “educational and encouraging”?
L.B.: The consumerism problem is a global problem, and this problem in China today is more prominent. People’s faith, compassion and love are all exchanged for money to consume… This society has no moral bottom line.
Through the way of distorting good standards, My main purpose of my work “salute to the master series” in this exhibition is to make people rethink today’s society. I’m not sure if it can be called “education and encouragement”.
Read the Full article on The GOLD LIST Special Edition #4
Liu Baomin. Salute to the master Nr. 5. Oil on Canvas. 150X190 cm
