Nightmare of January 20, 2021  Print

French of Chinese origin, Quentin Liu arrived for the first time in France at the age of 24 in 2002. After studying at the Beaux-Arts and a photography school, painting became his main tool for artistic creation. For him, painting is the freest medium in his artistic creation. In 2011, he made a major turn in the theme of his artistic creations. Before that date, fashion and consumerism were his main subjects. But his experience in Beijing from 2007 to 2013 changes him deeply. During this time, he witnessed the radical change in Chinese contemporary art, from an almost New York-like prosperity to a North Korean-style repression. The hostility of the totalitarian government towards free artists, and the brainwashing of the people by the mainstream media left a deep impression on him. He becomes aware of the role of the artist as a whistleblower in a context where democracy and freedom of expression are seriously challenged around the world.   Since 2014, Quentin Liu has been living and working in the Paris region. In his most recent works, his questioning and criticism of certain social phenomena has become increasingly acute.