Liu Zheng- The Four Beauties 2004

The Four Beauties 2004
2004
Color photograph
4 parts, 39 x 78 in. each
Source: http://www.bampfa.berkeley.edu/mahjongartists/index.html

There is something quite unsettling about this set. They almost look too real to be real, at the same time too fake because it seem so real. I think Liu is trying to depict the famous Four beauties of Chinese history; although I can't really pin point the exact story for three of them, I am pretty sure the cubby lady is Yang Guifei.

I like the contrasting color tones. Dark, pitch black backgrounds with green a green aura like shade here and there.. and the general color of the furnishing and clothings are cold color tones like black freen and blue. I like how these cold colors are contrasting against the soft flesh color and nakedness of the women.

way only the women are naked?

All the men are fully clothed, even over clothed. the female bodies are naked and in many secens in danger and fragile.

um... I wonder if the Yang Guifei print belongs to the set at all! in every other picture there's always someone close to dying or is action or being act upon by some kind of physical violence... man trying to cut his throat with a sword... man executing another man with a HUGE sword... women being choke to death right next to a already dead women... and Yang Guifei stands there with her ladies in waiting with not much going on...strange...

no one looks happy in the entire set!! they all show negative expressions.. bordom, fear, surprise, contempt, weariness, speculation, doubt, scheming, sadness, denial, worry, struggle, agony, envy/ jealousy, ditry looks, and the expression one gets when being choked to death... #__#

These female bodies are not beautiful, yet not grotesque... they just look real. What is Liu trying to say? that the beauties are no more beautiful than any women? or is he purposely trading the stadard of beauty down? In a way these female bodies are like.. meat, like sex objects, exoposed and their private parts not hidden, these female figures behave as if they are clothed.

I donno... these are fasinating images but I can't bring myself to stare at them for too long, somehow make me feel a little revolting and yuck... I wonder why...