"WORLD OF THOUSANDS","MILK BOTTLES AND BABIES" & "BROKEN FINGERS"
LIU ZHUOQUAN
Contemporary Chinese artist, Liu Zhuoquan visually documents his world and its perplexity, vagueness and apprehension that results from it. Each work encompasses provocative aspects of Chinese society; the political, social and cultural. It is through the installations and artworks of Liu Zhuoquan that his audiences are able to grasp an understanding of particular issues and ideas from his world. World of Thousands, 2010, comprises the many bottles from various substances decorated with detailed and grotesque images of nature, insects, explosions, organs, lone limbs and political figures; although one bottle may seem ordinary the collection of each bottle is quite powerful for viewers. The collaboration of each glass bottle annotates the social commentary referring to the oppression within China, Liu’s homeland especially. Similarly, another work of Liu’s, Broken Finger, 2010, also highlights the social standards within China, an artwork of 28 glass bottles with particular reference to shocking injuries within the workplace. Such delicate images, painted with the neihua (inside bottle painting) are then taken to the subsequent level with added detailing of the harsh nature of workplace injury and the associated pain suffered while carrying out such extreme labour. Liu’s Milk Bottles and Babies developed in 2010, refers to the controversial matters within China and the authoritative approach to the hardship faced and struggle of obtaining a family. Baby bottles are stacked neatly on a mantelpiece showing infant imagery that isn’t pleasing. It is from Liu Zhuoquan and his artworks, audiences are able to recognise and a true sense of reality and discover the past tragic events in Chinese history. Conceptually, his work is an interpretation of society within his personal world that isn’t attractive.
The reoccurring material of glass is of utmost importance to Liu himself, one of personal attachment. Dating back to his early childhood in China, living throughout the Cultural Revolution hundreds of people, including Liu, were removed from their housing and were forced to travel and move elsewhere. As a child of 6, Liu had a small piece of glass embedded in his foot, which hindered the process of him and his family moving and relocating. It was only until several months later, after much discomfort and pain that his parents became inquisitive. Liu states himself ‘It wasn’t removed for almost a year, so I feel a very personal bond with glass.’ Snuff bottles, typically made from glass are used within each installation of Liu’s work in addition to various other glass bottles. This makes reference to traditional methods of Imperial China where such bottles were elegantly embellished with painted illustrations and calligraphy. The technique of ‘neihua’ translated and informally known as inside bottle painting, is the method of using a fine haired brush to paint the glass from the outside by feeding the brush through the opening. In the works of Liu Zhuoquan, it is apparent that his art interrogates the past. His individualistic philosophy directly opposes Chinas social system, which have resulted in particular works unable to be shown in the public eye. The notion of ambiguity and approach to question, and interpret meanings and ideas of all art dimensions is overlooked and rejected in Chinese education. Liu’s methods to overcome such views are to express and convey meaning that refers to him personally through his past oppression and childhood throughout the Cultural Revolution. In addition to this, Liu applies a coded visual language through the materials he uses to allow him to ‘speak more freely’. An example of this is through the use of found objects (bottles) as it is ‘a metaphor for cultural struggle in a tight, sometimes suffocating environment’. Through the delicate and deliberate application of representational brush strokes forming provocative images, the meaning of each work goes beyond the visual interpretation but questions past approaches towards society and its aspects, the political, social and cultural.
Separately, the use of broken fingers, infant imagery and images of nature, insects, explosions and lone limbs/organs is heavily influenced on Lius world and the issues faced within society. World of Thousands highlights Liu’s subversive approach to art by questioning the imposed political stances of the government in relation to issues and ideas close to home, as a result there are certain areas of China which Liu Zhuoquan’s work is outlawed. Such questioning has been interrelated with Milk Bottles and Babies; referencing the 2008 Chinese milk scandal and the population control one-child policy. The correct appropriation of milk bottles was incorporated to emphasise the reaction of such implemented policies. The depictions of children with deformities on the bottles indicate the result of starvation suffered by pregnant women during the Cultural Revolution. Milk Bottles and Babies also express and notifies audiences of pain, conflict and the turmoil associated. Liu Zhuoquan’s Broken Fingers embodies the unforgiving reality of poor working conditions and demanding labour placed on individuals within China. More than 30% of the current population lives in poverty and when trying to escape it, individuals are often placed in horrific working conditions. Liu’s work Broken Fingers displays the human qualities once associated with the tough and extreme working conditions and comments on the relationship between industrialization and humanity.
Through Liu’s conceptual practice it is apparent that his work is constructed in response to his world and ideas within it to inform, educate and notify audiences of the impact of social, political and cultural influences of society and China itself. It’s from his personal experience and concerns that contemporary artist Liu Zhuoquan has closely commented visually and conceptually on childhood memories from the past evident in his art installations World of Thousands, Milk Bottles and Babies and Broken Fingers. It is from Liu Zhuoquan and his artworks, audiences are able to recognise and a true sense of reality and discover the past tragic events in Chinese history.
LIU ZHUOQUAN
Contemporary Chinese artist, Liu Zhuoquan visually documents his world and its perplexity, vagueness and apprehension that results from it. Each work encompasses provocative aspects of Chinese society; the political, social and cultural. It is through the installations and artworks of Liu Zhuoquan that his audiences are able to grasp an understanding of particular issues and ideas from his world. World of Thousands, 2010, comprises the many bottles from various substances decorated with detailed and grotesque images of nature, insects, explosions, organs, lone limbs and political figures; although one bottle may seem ordinary the collection of each bottle is quite powerful for viewers. The collaboration of each glass bottle annotates the social commentary referring to the oppression within China, Liu’s homeland especially. Similarly, another work of Liu’s, Broken Finger, 2010, also highlights the social standards within China, an artwork of 28 glass bottles with particular reference to shocking injuries within the workplace. Such delicate images, painted with the neihua (inside bottle painting) are then taken to the subsequent level with added detailing of the harsh nature of workplace injury and the associated pain suffered while carrying out such extreme labour. Liu’s Milk Bottles and Babies developed in 2010, refers to the controversial matters within China and the authoritative approach to the hardship faced and struggle of obtaining a family. Baby bottles are stacked neatly on a mantelpiece showing infant imagery that isn’t pleasing. It is from Liu Zhuoquan and his artworks, audiences are able to recognise and a true sense of reality and discover the past tragic events in Chinese history. Conceptually, his work is an interpretation of society within his personal world that isn’t attractive.
The reoccurring material of glass is of utmost importance to Liu himself, one of personal attachment. Dating back to his early childhood in China, living throughout the Cultural Revolution hundreds of people, including Liu, were removed from their housing and were forced to travel and move elsewhere. As a child of 6, Liu had a small piece of glass embedded in his foot, which hindered the process of him and his family moving and relocating. It was only until several months later, after much discomfort and pain that his parents became inquisitive. Liu states himself ‘It wasn’t removed for almost a year, so I feel a very personal bond with glass.’ Snuff bottles, typically made from glass are used within each installation of Liu’s work in addition to various other glass bottles. This makes reference to traditional methods of Imperial China where such bottles were elegantly embellished with painted illustrations and calligraphy. The technique of ‘neihua’ translated and informally known as inside bottle painting, is the method of using a fine haired brush to paint the glass from the outside by feeding the brush through the opening. In the works of Liu Zhuoquan, it is apparent that his art interrogates the past. His individualistic philosophy directly opposes Chinas social system, which have resulted in particular works unable to be shown in the public eye. The notion of ambiguity and approach to question, and interpret meanings and ideas of all art dimensions is overlooked and rejected in Chinese education. Liu’s methods to overcome such views are to express and convey meaning that refers to him personally through his past oppression and childhood throughout the Cultural Revolution. In addition to this, Liu applies a coded visual language through the materials he uses to allow him to ‘speak more freely’. An example of this is through the use of found objects (bottles) as it is ‘a metaphor for cultural struggle in a tight, sometimes suffocating environment’. Through the delicate and deliberate application of representational brush strokes forming provocative images, the meaning of each work goes beyond the visual interpretation but questions past approaches towards society and its aspects, the political, social and cultural.
Separately, the use of broken fingers, infant imagery and images of nature, insects, explosions and lone limbs/organs is heavily influenced on Lius world and the issues faced within society. World of Thousands highlights Liu’s subversive approach to art by questioning the imposed political stances of the government in relation to issues and ideas close to home, as a result there are certain areas of China which Liu Zhuoquan’s work is outlawed. Such questioning has been interrelated with Milk Bottles and Babies; referencing the 2008 Chinese milk scandal and the population control one-child policy. The correct appropriation of milk bottles was incorporated to emphasise the reaction of such implemented policies. The depictions of children with deformities on the bottles indicate the result of starvation suffered by pregnant women during the Cultural Revolution. Milk Bottles and Babies also express and notifies audiences of pain, conflict and the turmoil associated. Liu Zhuoquan’s Broken Fingers embodies the unforgiving reality of poor working conditions and demanding labour placed on individuals within China. More than 30% of the current population lives in poverty and when trying to escape it, individuals are often placed in horrific working conditions. Liu’s work Broken Fingers displays the human qualities once associated with the tough and extreme working conditions and comments on the relationship between industrialization and humanity.
Through Liu’s conceptual practice it is apparent that his work is constructed in response to his world and ideas within it to inform, educate and notify audiences of the impact of social, political and cultural influences of society and China itself. It’s from his personal experience and concerns that contemporary artist Liu Zhuoquan has closely commented visually and conceptually on childhood memories from the past evident in his art installations World of Thousands, Milk Bottles and Babies and Broken Fingers. It is from Liu Zhuoquan and his artworks, audiences are able to recognise and a true sense of reality and discover the past tragic events in Chinese history.