Woman in Red

Lui Liu completed this portrait in the year 2004. Set on portrait display oil on canvas material, Woman in Red (Lot 12) features a young woman dressed in conservative attire with a stare that directs viewers' attention to her seemingly thoughtful self. The red dress and headgear give her the distinctive appearance of a passionate woman. Her slightly open lips are a sign of senseless abandon that is very enticing. When one looks at the painting, they cannot fail to notice her gaze - that of a yearning for something far greater than herself. The portrait comes out as soft and evokes a feeling of empathy in viewers so that they'd want to reach out to her, offering her what she desires. Only her face is visible on the canvas as her other body parts are covered in clothing. She has a well-formed strong jaw and highcheekbones which define her feminine identity. Liu had her hair separated at the centre, creating a conservative look of a woman from the 1930's. The overall image appears to be so tranquil and peaceful that just having the painting in the vicinity is enough to rub off some of the peaceful quality on viewers. This painting also accentuates the beauty and mystery of a woman, one with great desires and yet seemingly peaceful.

Born in 1957, in Tianjin, China, Liu Liu studied at the Oil Painting Department of the Central Academy of Fine Arts and received his BFA in 1982. The artist has held many solo exhibitions at different galleries and museums such as: Edith Baker Gallery, Dallas, U.S.A. (2001); Contemporary Art Center, Utrech, the Netherlands, (2002); Cidnee Patrick Gallery, Dallas, U.S.A. (2003); A Muse Gallery, Columbia, U.S.A.]2004^; Mittica Gallery, Toronto, Canada (2005) and Shanghai Art Museum, Shanghai (2013). He also has exhibited his works at group exhibitions such as Experiencing Simplicity - Realistic Paintings from Long Collection, Long Museum, Shanghai (2013). He is now living abroad in Canada.