Kings Road Gallery & Tanya Baxter Contemporary, London, United Kingdom

Terracotta Warrior - Boris Johnson by Liu Fenghua & Liu Yong

Liu Fenghua & Liu Yong Biography

Liu Fenghua (B. 1956, China) Soldiers painted by Liu Fenghua resemble the image of the unearthed Qin terracotta army. The Terracotta Army or Terra-cotta Warriors and Horses is a collection of 8,099 life-size terra cotta figures of warriors and horses located near the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor buried between 210-209 BC. The figures were discovered in 1974 near Xi'an, Shaanxi province.

These figures include infantry, archers, and officers and are manufactured in a crouching or standing pose. Each figure was given a real weapon such as bronze spears, halberds or swords, or wooden crossbows with bronze fittings. It is believed these weapons date to as early as 228 BC and may have been used in actual warfare. Along with the soldiers and officers, chariots made with great detail and precision were also included as part of Qin Shi Huang’s army. Fenghua’s soldiers are equipped with funny modern touches that recall members of the Red Guard 30 years ago. The tragic heroism reflected on the young faces of the soldier seems to tell a story of its own. Because of China’s rich tapestry of history, Liu Fenghua has chosen to contemporise one of the country’s greatest heritage draws, the terracotta warrior, and both reveres the importance of a bygone era, but also mocks it by painting on thick swathes of colour. In 2008 Liu Fenghua debuted a series of 5 warriors in the British Museum, London. The Kings Road Gallery & Tanya Baxter Contemporary special series of warriors is the first of its kind, and celebrates the Chinese New Year celebrations, as well as some of Irelands well known figures.

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