Hiding in the City No. 31 (2006) belongs to Liu Bolin’s celebrated Hiding in the City series, in which the artist camouflages himself within everyday urban environments.

In this work, Liu Bolin stands almost imperceptibly in front of a row of colourful public posters and signs. His painted body aligns with the surrounding imagery, allowing his figure to dissolve into the visual complexity of the streetscape.

Created shortly after the series began in 2005, the work demonstrates Liu Bolin’s distinctive combination of performance, body painting and photography. The act of disappearance becomes a way of exploring the relationship between the individual and the social and physical environment.

Produced in an edition of 8, Hiding in the City No. 31 is an early example of the camouflage practice that has become central to Liu Bolin’s work.