Real Life Invisible Man

The invisible man: Liu Bolin's amazing camouflage artwork

At first glance, this may look like a photograph of shelves in a supermarket. But look more closely and you may see a man painstakingly painted to blend in with the colourful background. Chinese artist Liu Bolin has become world renowned for his camouflage art. Liu uses a team of two assistants to paint the camouflage onto him to make him invisible, and each photograph can take up to ten hours to set up. In some cases, Liu has his assistants paint his body and then he remains extremely still until an unsuspecting passer-by happens to walk past.

He says he sees his work as a statement on the world and its anonymous inhabitants. "My urban camouflage paint series began after Suojia Village Art Campus where I was working was shut down by the Chinese government," said the 38-year-old artist. "My resistance to the force of governments made me experience the life of people with no social status, no job, no family, no income and this was the emotional reason I began my series of works. My pieces talk about the question of the social status of art in general. In my work the artist is hiding to restore his strength and to protect himself."
Liu Bolin poses on the Great Wall of China

He has toured his work across the globe for the past five years, and is looking forward to a new exhibition at the Eli Klein Fine Art Gallery in New York in 2011.
Liu Bolin poses in the Royal Box at the Teatro alla Scala in Milan

Liu Bolin poses in one of the seats at the Teatro alla Scala in Milan

Liu Bolin poses for his work entitled 'American National Flag'

Liu Bolin poses in front of a digger for his work entitled 'Forklifts'

Liu Bolin poses by the Ponte di Rialto in Venice

Liu Bolin stands on a bridge in Venice

Liu Bolin poses on a balcony while at the Milan World Expo

Liu Bolin poses on the Ponte di Castelvecchio in Verona, Italy

Liu Bolin poses on the Duomo di Milano in Milan, Italy

Liu Bolin poses in front of some graffiti

Liu Bolin poses by the Bird's Nest Olympic stadium in Beijing