In the late 1980s, Liu Dahong came to prominence through his vivid and satirical versions of history paintings. Using stylistic languages from both Western and Chinese classical paintings, Liu, in his own and unique voice, presents a new way in illuminating and evaluating the deeper significance of an era’s political ideology.

Through Liu’s imagining and kaleidoscope-like realms, his works, like The New Hundred Scenes in Shanghai, examine China’s cultural history and the dynamic social spaces. Liu’s imaginative capacity shines through in his reinterpretations of cultural landmarks and everyday contemporary scenes in the city, filling them with illusion, fantasy, and dream, signifying the complex heritage inherited.