Li Hongbo and His Amazing Sculptures

The last blog was about Pissarro - an Early Modern painter in the Impressionist style. Now, a century later, new materials, new methods and a greater latitude for artists have given rise to a fascinating scope of art making. An example of such art and artist can be found in Li Hongbo ((1974-)

Hongbo, who is a resident of Beijing, China was a book editor and designer with a wide-ranging interest in art movements. One method that particularly interested him was the Chinese art of honey-comb paper mainly used to make toys. He noticed that this forming of paper made it strong and flexible.

It took deconstructing the process for Hongbo to figure out how he could create sculptures from paper. Patiently, he cuts, folds and pastes hexagons into the appearance of a log or piece of wood. Then, he uses an electric saw to shape the paper into sculptures.

With the help of an assistant, Hongbo will shape some 30,000 pieces of paper into a human face or torso. At first glance, the sculpture is a classic piece of art, but since it is made of expandable paper pieces, the art stretches until it resembles a Slinky toy.

Not only does Hongbo make human sculptures, but also replicas of antique Chinese pottery and large decorative objects.

Pretty amazing, yes?



If you'd like to learn more about his technique, there's a 3-minute video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gttdbqX4SWA

Liu Bolin: Hiding Everywhere

Why is it governments feel threatened by artists? I ask because history is rife with stories of artists being jailed, their art destroyed and their studios demolished. In modern times, the dubious distinction seems to belong to the Chinese government. (Remember my blog on Ai Wei-Wei? Archive: May, 2012)

In 2005, the Beijing artist village with about 100 studios was razed by the government. Among the artists who suffered the loss was Liu Bolin (1973-) - an internationally recognized artist who has exhibited his photography and sculpture all over the world.

Bolin understood that the government regarded art as unimportant and artists as being without social status. With that in mind, Bolin created the series "Hiding in the City." It was a silent protest to the role of artists in the culture.

He photographed himself in scenes of soldiers, temples, "Made in China" toy stores, and all sorts of scenes. He had himself painted to match the scene as the "Invisible Artist." (The painting of his body can take as long as 10 hours!)

Below are some of Bolin "hiding." (Click on image to enlarge)







What do you think of his silent protest?

Ai Weiwei: Art and Provocations

Today, the media is full of news about a blind Chinese poet-dissident who has escaped to the U. S. Embassy. It took my mind back to last year when another artist - Ai Weiwei - was "detained" because he dared to criticize the government.

Ai Weiwei (1957-) is a well-known artist in the West. "Artist' is such a general term for someone who also sculpts, does installation art, photographs, curates, creates architecture, and is a film maker.  However, it was Weiwei as a political dissident and critic that he ran into trouble with the Chinese government.

It could be said that Weiwei came by his overt criticism of the political system naturally. His father, a poet, and his mother were denounced in 1958 and sent to a labor camp. Weiwei was one year old when his parents were sent away. It would be 16 years before he saw his parents again.

Safe to say that Weiwei grew up knowing that anti-government activities were dangerous. His art education in the U.S. from 1981 to 1993 might have provided exposure to open government criticism. Whatever the circumstances that formed Weiwei, he became a dissident in China.

His open political opinions and his fame as an artist brings embarrassment to the politico.

In 2009, he was beaten by police. In 2010, he was placed under house arrest. Later the same year, his studio was bulldozed. He was arrested in 2011 on tax evasion and is out on bail... and the list of harassment goes on.

In spite of diabetes and hypertension, he continues to be a thorn in the government's side. As he stated in his interview with TIME magazine, he's more interested in individuals being treated fairly than the form of government.

Weiwei could leave China. He's had many exhibits throughout Europe and the U.S. He's so well known that he could seek asylum in the West and probably be granted it. Instead, he continues to poke the eye of those in power. As an artist-as-provocateur, Weiwei joins a long list of dissident artists who railed against unfair systems that suppress the population and who paid dearly for it. (Below are examples of some of his works. Click images to enlarge.)

Weiwei, architectural consultant "Bird's Nest" stadium for the Olympics in Beijing.

"Fountain of Light," 2007 (at his studio)

"Cube Light," 2008

"Sunflower Seeds," 2010 at the huge Turbine Hall, London, England. 100 million porcelain seeds as a play on "Made in China" and the commercialization of the ancient porcelain centers of China.