Hanging out with the wife and kid
As anyone who watched the opening ceremony of the recent Beijing Olympics will attest, China has been enjoying a burgeoning of the performing arts in recent years. One of the most striking artists to emerge from this thriving scene is Li Wei, who has become renowned for his arresting and seemingly gravity-defying photographic work.
Sent over the edge
After dropping out of art school and dabbling in oil painting, Li decided to focus on action art because, as he puts it, only it “offers a chance to experience an action’s message through one’s own body.” Li threw himself (literally) into this medium of expression, staging stunts in which he captures on film exhilarating moments of apparently extreme danger.
Hanging out
Li uses a mixture of props, wires, cleverly positioned cameras and good old fashioned acrobatics to achieve the astounding effects in his photographs. However, quite aside from the immediate 'Wow!' factor, his art also makes some penetrating statements about the difficulties, particularly lack of security, of living in the modern age.
Take that!
In Li’s words: “There is a feeling of losing a grip on things, an uncertainty about the morrow. It’s a feeling of hanging in the air, of having nothing firm under the feet. And even if the family is my priority and thus a key part of my performances, I wonder: How much are we able to put up with?”
Reach for the sky
Judging from the invigorating sense of life that marks his work, it appears quite a bit. Check out Li's website for more images and info on his works and technique. You'll be amazed.
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22 comments
Nate (not verified) says:
May 21st, 2009 at 5pm
Amazing images, but since it's pretty clear that any of the wires or other supports have been removed, it's seems inaccurate to say "Not Photoshopped" . . .
Wedding Photographer France (not verified) says:
May 22nd, 2009 at 10am
amazing photography! Quite scary as well - particularly the one where he's kicked off the rooftop!
Well done!
deh112188 (not verified) says:
Jun 8th, 2009 at 5pm
Great movement in the pic with the women swinging the man around!
Frank Yee (not verified) says:
Jun 11th, 2009 at 3am
Absolutely amazing, arresting, art.
SKANA (not verified) says:
Jun 11th, 2009 at 11pm
This guy is doing some ridiculous shit man really mind boggling dude
AndrewO (not verified) says:
Jun 12th, 2009 at 6pm
The trouble is, these photos ARE Photoshopped.
If you follow the video link on Li Wei's site you'll see the 'making of' several of these shots, and it's clear that the cables, wires, etc. would be in the frame, yet they're not in the final picture. Therefore they must have been edited out.
Don't get me wrong, that doesn't detract from his art - it's stunning in many respects, but there is a degree of Photoshopping, even if it is just removing the wires.
Nusman (not verified) says:
Jun 16th, 2009 at 6pm
I know how he did it, look on the last picture, there is the plane and unvissible rope
Joliter (not verified) says:
Jul 4th, 2009 at 7am
Hhahahaha its just fuck!!!!!!!!!! not more than that Now a the kid who has newly taken birth can make these sort of fucking shocks in photos shop
Photoshopped (not verified) says:
Jul 30th, 2009 at 7pm
Photoshopped plain and simple. You can tell by the stray marks in the first picture, and you don't even need to observe the others
Orkut scraps (not verified) says:
Sep 16th, 2009 at 2pm
I think those are all photoshoped... :) otherwise no way.
Megan (not verified) says:
Hey, this looks really unique. If only everyone decided to take the road less traveled.