Trained as a classical ink wash painter, Liu Qinghe expresses his contemporary vision through the traditional medium and bridges the cultural gap between opposing artistic traditions. Liu Qinghe's latest series of female portraits seeks to revisit and redefine the canons of beauty. He concocts his sensual oriental nudes in washes of multiple tones of grey with a subtle pearly palette. The philosophy of the traditional ink wash seeks not to reproduce the subject matter through realism but instead to capture its essence and its soul.  Liu Qinghe will also be showing his figurative sculptures for the first time in Beijing - sensual busts with painted bodies that evoke a meditative mood as they dialogue with the paintings. The result is an intimate “Yin” universe that celebrates the female form and psyche in modern times.

In a plethora of poses and attitudes, the seductive and restless protagonists appear suspended in space and take centre stage. The viewer is invited to complete the painting with their imagination. The void can be seen as an oversized bed, an empty studio or an abstract outdoor scene where the models are at ease with their bodies and confident of their sexuality. Liu Qinghe’s nudes seem to draw references from art history. The curvaceous silhouettes with their big hips, close-ups of round faces and double chins appear to be the contemporary cousins of the Tang dynasty buxom court ladies. As seen in 8th century tomb murals and funerary figures, the Tang women used to be clad in see-through shawls and sexy low-cut blouses. This is a testament to the unprecedented social freedom and political power enjoyed by women from the 7th till 10th century. Images of sinewy and svelte characters recall the erotic paintings from the Qing dynasty where pensive ladies lie in luxurious interiors decorated with objects infused with symbols of fertility. As opposed to the baroque environment in those paintings, Liu Qinghe’s women lie against a minimalist backdrop. The lifting of all embellishments seems to reflect the unlocking of the social shackles. The personages no longer have bound feet in the form of a lotus petal nor accompanied by a servant maid or flanked by a lover. The "three-inch golden lotuses" are replaced with platform sandals, high cut boots or simply just bare feet. There is a new found confidence and independence that mirrors the status of the Chinese woman today. Their gazes and gestures unveil the psychology of the new Chinese woman: one that is not afraid to confront the vicissitudes of life on their own terms and even if women are alone, they are not necessarily lonely.