The lovely cartoon-like paintings of Liu Ye are applauded recently in art market，which has appeared somewhat irrational tendency. But this irrational development is just like the style of Liu Ye’s paintings which is also mainly constructed by an irrational narrative structure. On the other hand, what Liu Ye’s works represented in art market reflects the real rationally emotional need of human soul, which is the reminiscence of past time and childhood memory. Liu Ye’s works are temptations for those who have a childlike heart. In addition, the picture of Liu Ye’s paintings has also somewhat ornamental effect and readable narration, which is an important reason for his works to be welcomed by collectors and viewers. However, the story in his works is not a reflection or memory of real sensibility; it is an unreal experience which makes people nervous and thereby feels dolorous.

Liu Ye Qi Baishi Knows Mondrian, Oil Painting, 1996
RMB 4,000,000 - 6,000,000

In this work, the old master of Qi Baishi standing in a landscape that looks like a war site, and he is reading a book about Mondrian, these elements form the main body of the picture. Qi Baishi was a famous old master of 20th century China, all Chinese are familiar with his works, but Mondrian was a foreign painter well known for his geometric composition. Those irrelevant elements in this painting increase the illusory nature of the works. To his works Liu Ye had said that, “The clue penetrating my works is: nonviolent, non-realism, with the fantasy colors, and situated between surrealism and realism, between abstract and concrete, between modern and tradition. My creation is one kind of daydream. I like the daydream since childhood, and like to work on the daydream. There are two explanations from the aspect of technique: First, the structure of my work itself is not reality, it is a structure of form; Second, I seldom take the real things as my objects. In my heart there lingers a dream that is to work from the concrete back to abstract again.” In Liu Ye’s opinion, the sadness behind the happiness is a true expression of heart. It will be more moving while using the happiness in the picture to uncover the sadness. “Qi Baishi Knows Mondrian” puts the viewer in the same mood.