Liu Wei
Born in Beijing, 1972 and lives in Beijing, China
Liu Wei explores 21st century socio-political concepts such as the contradictions of contemporary society and the transformation of developing cities and the urban landscape. In many of his sculptural and installation works, he uses found materials that are re-contextualized to draw new meanings out of the materials from which they are made. He frequently uses geometric and architectural forms in his work as a reference to his urban surroundings.
The post-Mao period of rapid urbanization in China has greatly influenced his art practice, from the conceptual themes he explores to the formal decisions he makes. Many of his paintings, sculptures, installations and videos have allegorical references to Chinese culture but deal with more universal issues affecting contemporary society, such as the fragility of political power, the friction between human nature and the needs of civilization, and the physical transformation of developing cities and the urban landscape. He approaches these concepts with an open mind, without suggesting a particular political line of thinking, or assigning a hierarchy of values and meanings, allowing viewers to form their own ideas and associations with his imagery.
Palazzo Diedo