The East is Red Series (东方红系列)
, cm
About the artwork
Liu was born in Jiaxian County in northern Shanxi—the hometown of the great song The East is Red. Rich and splendid civilizations along the Yellow River and Loess Plateau provided him with plenty of inspirational material. His East Is Red Series depicts earth warriors with triumphant stances exude bravado, and their mouths agape in resilient shouts. The figures are adorned in the humble northern Shanxi garb of grey quilted cotton jackets, while their red colouring provides a striking visual contrast that is symbolic of passion, blood and revolutionary fervour. Cultivated with skill and endowed with meaning drawn from the heart of his Chinese heritage, Liu Ruo Wang brings us the essence of a childhood fascination cradled in timeless representation.
About the artist
Born in 1970 in Shaanxi, China, Liu Ruo Wang creates art that touches on an immense array of cultural elements, while remaining firmly rooted in a personal journey through time and struggle. Turning a childhood of myth and folklore into a representation of the Chinese spirit, the artist chooses to glorify the ordinary man by presenting him as a an emblem of solidarity, tying together bands of soldiers in distinctly Eastern colour, texture and form. A coalescence of nostalgia and tribute, the artist immortalizes his roots, subtly making reference to the history and significance that form the rich heritage behind the industrialized modernity of his people. Widely established and exhibited, the artist’s works are collected by numerous prestigious institutions in China, Singapore, Hong Kong, Korea, France, Italy, New Zealand and the USA.
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