Life is a Spiritual Journey and Perception
——An Interview with Liu Zhiyi

Wang Yanchu

Liu Zhiyi believes slow work yields fine products. Last year we haven’t seen his works, indeed, there is some reason. With the growth of age, his attention has a new change. He puts plain, natural and simple elements into his new works to show a life experience in a new phase.

Wang: This is your first solo exhibition. Is “A Grain of sand” your understanding of life?
Liu: Yes, it’s an abstract concept, so I could not make an explanation in few words. Discarding all the flashy appearance, every one should walk into the real-self in one’s heart.

Wang: Are all your recent works in the exhibition? Why do you choose these works to exhibit?
Liu: Not all works, this exhibition is a summary of recent creations. The robots in 2004 and 2005 are the prototype combined with traditional things, and then I turn these robot images into 3D entities by computer.  For example, putting three representative robots into typical symbols again and making them look flat. Generally speaking, this is completely consistent with my original thoughts. In addition with two years life experience, the form becomes soft and restrained. I also hope the artistic conception have upgraded in a higher level compared to the basis. I want to show all my creative experiences these years from this exhibition. 

Wang: It seems that there is no relation between your earlier works and individual experiences. So, would you like to tell us why your friends and animals appear in your new works?
Liu: These works were accumulated for a time. This exhibition is a good opportunity for me to exhibit a part of these works. I want to show the plain and natural aspect of them. The things I described in the works are the most important for me. I think they are the most beautiful things.

Wang: I feel your recent works are so relaxed, does that have any relation to your emotions?
Liu: Yeah, it’s a feeling from the heart. And it returns back to the topic “A Grain of Sand”. Because it’s a direct expression of my life at present, so the paintings show a relaxed and calm feeling. Life is a spiritual journey and perception, so I look forward to a peaceful, free and quiet state in my creations.

Wang: This state is similar to the realm of Traditional Chinese Paintings; do you look forward to traditional things?
Liu: Most things in the future are a continuance of tradition. Some ancient things also have a kind of instruction for people in the future to create things. In some degree, they are integrated together. 

Wang: Can we understand it this way, the original idea of “Encyclopedia of the Emperor” is a painting novel?
Liu: All the works I paint are a part of “Encyclopedia of the Emperor”. Or we can say the “Encyclopedia of the Emperor” is Liu Zhiyi, Liu Zhiyi is the “Encyclopedia of the Emperor”. Now I pursue the “Let it be!” attitude in my creations, just like the attitude towards life.

Wang: I haven’t seen any works last year, what were you doing?
Liu: Accumulation. I completed an expected transition during this period. I made my 3D models while painting new works. First, I set up a model image and then disposed it in flat. In order to establish a virtual environment and properties more freely, I made a “real” 3D Model, and then created it dramatically.

Wang: Why does it take such a long time? It’s such a long circle for you to create one work.
Liu: Is that long? These models are preparations for my future creations. On this basis, several of my series of future works may be derived, also providing a deductive direction for my future works. Hence, I think it’s necessary for it to take a lot of time. I care a lot about the long-term development of my works, pursuing an imaginable perfect, rather than a short-term profit and return.

Wang: What’s your understanding of oil painting? What’s your opinion on the paintings that use software as technologies?
Liu: I think there is no conflict between computer technologies and traditional paintings. If we could handle these advanced means and technologies well and put some fresh elements into traditional paintings, the painting languages would become more and more rich and the painting itself would present a multi-developing tendency, developing a larger space and possibility. I think it is a good thing.

Wang: From the life-forms of half-man and half-machine to robot, cloud, life-form and blue and white porcelain, we can see that this book is divided into several chapters. Do you paint a new chapter? 
Liu: The spirit of humankind needs to be “upgraded”, so my works will give you a complete presentation of this “upgraded” human spirit gradually and we can regard it as “upgrade” synchronously. The different contents which appeared on the painting haven’t departed from my original thoughts and it needed a lot time to present itself.

Wang: Do you have any plans to make some dolls or movies in the future?
Liu: Who knows? It depends on the opportunity. I believe this (laughing), just let it be.