Liu Bolin

Liu Bolin, originally uploaded by butterfluff.

This artist is amazing, and his work just caught my attention the other day, when I saw a link on Yahoo to the ABC news clip.

The concept of the artist being a part of the work is interesting to think about. I think we are always a part of the work we do, but most of the time we keep ourselves out of the picture, so to speak. Let the attention be drawn to what we create, and not on the creator.

And, it's true we often get lost in the work we create. Lost in completion, lost in revision, lost in the process. A piece of us remains when the work is done. But how often do we see physical evidence of the artist's presence? And so far as to have the artist camouflaged so perfectly as to blend in smoothly with the work?

In the case of Liu Bolin, the artist is the work, blending in almost seamlessly with his chosen backgrounds or subjects. His attention to detail is impeccable, and he paints himself to fit just so into the bigger picture. It is work that catches my attention, and makes me think about the art we make on another level. And to me, that's how we keep going - pushing the boundaries and experimenting constantly. Keeping it fresh, and working to keep our voices and our visions our own.