Born in Shandong, China, Liu Bolin received his Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Shandong College of Arts in 1995 and later completed his Master of Fine Arts at the Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing in 2001. He gained widespread attention for his performance-based photography, which began as a reaction to the demolition of his artist studio village in Beijing ahead of the 2008 Olympic Games.

His signature practice involves meticulously painting his own body to blend into complex environments, effectively rendering himself an invisible man within the frame. These photographic works explore themes of social identity, environmental change, and the relationship between the individual and the rapidly evolving urban landscape.

Liu's work has been the subject of numerous international exhibitions, cementing his reputation as a significant figure in contemporary performance and conceptual photography. His practice continues to be studied for its technical precision and its commentary on the intersection of human presence and architectural space.