Object of the Month - Liu Bolin, Hiding in the City #69

Phoenix Art Museum is focusing on Liu Bolin this November with Hiding in the City #69, a piece that puts his whole approach on display. The museum is running it as part of their Object of the Month series, which they hold in memory of Cheryl Fine.

If you haven't come across Bolin before, he's a Chinese performance artist and photographer who's earned the nickname "the invisible man." His work is built around a single, striking move: he paints himself into his surroundings until he practically vanishes into the background. It's a signature that's made him one of the most recognizable figures in contemporary Chinese art, and Hiding in the City #69 is a great example of it. The whole thing is about the relationship between the individual and society—the act of disappearing into the environment and what that says about where we fit in.

Rather than just hanging the work on a wall for you to walk past, the museum is doing interactive gallery talks. Museum docents lead the conversation, so you're not just looking at the piece on your own; you're talking through it with people who can help you pick apart what's actually going on. It's a good way to get a bit more out of the work than you would from a quick stroll through the galleries.

There are four dates to choose from: Thursday, Nov. 5, Saturday, Nov. 7, Thursday, Nov. 19, and Thursday, Nov. 26. Each one starts at 11:30 AM at the Phoenix Art Museum, 1625 N Central Ave, and the talk is included with general admission.