The Facts
Liu Xiaodong (born 1963) has completed a series of paintings focused on John Mcintyre, a Detroit-based tattoo artist and member of a local medieval-style fighting team, for his first exhibition at Lisson Gallery's Los Angeles space. The artist traveled to Detroit in winter and, for the first time in his career, concentrated his documentation of a stay in an American city on a single subject. The resulting works depict Mcintyre in full armor during snowy battles, at home in a hot tub, and in other settings, using his life as a lens to portray industrial and suburban Detroit.
The Signal
The project marks a significant shift for Liu Xiaodong, who is known for large-scale observational paintings of communities in China and abroad. By narrowing his focus to one individual, the artist deepens his exploration of how place and identity intersect, offering an intimate portrait of a subculture within a declining industrial city. For collectors, the exhibition signals Liu's continued engagement with American subjects and his willingness to experiment with narrative structure, while Lisson's Los Angeles program underscores the gallery's investment in presenting major Chinese painters to a West Coast audience.
- Artists: Liu Xiaodong
- People: John Mcintyre
- Galleries: Lisson Gallery
- Locations: Detroit, Los Angeles
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