A leading figurative painter ｜XIAODONG LIU

#painting #paint #portrait #drawing A leading figurative painter, Liu Xiaodong creates large-scale works that dramatize the lives of everyday people: migrants, laborers, and others on the economic and geographic margins. Best known for his live, en plein air process, Liu travels to Eagle Pass, Texas, a city on the United States-Mexico border, to paint a county sheriff, his friends, and colleagues. As he works outdoors, Liu contends with the natural elements to complete his ambitious mural-size work, composed of loose brushstrokes and rich colors. The artist considers this process a meditative one that allows him to soften the harsh edges of the world. Reflective of the rise of China to prominence on the world stage, Liu discusses his humble origins as a boy raised in rural China, which inspired him to depict real and relatable people, and his international success, working across cultures and continents. Ultimately, Liu hopes, “Audiences will look at my art and think of themselves.” His paintings are