Liu Jianhua, porcelain, 2001
Chinese artist Liu Jianhua works mainly with porcelain, a delicate and technically challenging material. Economic and social changes are the common thread throughout his oeuvre. Tradition versus evolution. On the one hand, the artist clings to the refinement and preciousness of Chinese porcelain, while on the other hand he criticizes the inevitable consequences of globalization.
‘Obsessive memories’ represents the feminine image, recognizable by the Chinese dress: the cheongsam. The garment is hollow inside and deprived of a face. In the artwork the woman is reduced to the object of desire, without more. This dissident artist reminds us of the purely material desire inherent in our emerging consumer society. Jianhua Liu highlights the decline of culture in which historical and symbolic values pass away.
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