Meet the real-life Invisible Man, an artist with the ability to disappear Picture: CATERS NEWS Liu Bolin is able to blend into any surroundings - no matter how complicated they might be Picture: CATERS NEWS The 36-year-old artist from Shandong, China, paints on himself to merge with whatever is behind him Picture: CATERS NEWS In this series of photographs Liu renders himself almost entirely invisible in front of red phone boxes... Picture: CATERS NEWS ...Chinese flags... Picture: CATERS NEWS ...even earthquake rubble Picture: CATERS NEWS People walking past his performances often have no idea he is there until he moves Picture: CATERS NEWS Liu's art credentials were formed after he graduated from the prestigious Sculpture Department of Central Academy of Fine Arts in Shanghai Picture: CATERS NEWS Liu said his work requires a lot of patience with him having to pose and work on his photographs for more than 10 hours at a time to get it just right Picture: LIU BOLIN Liu's intention is to show how city surroundings affect people living in them Picture: LIU BOLIN He says he is inspired by not fitting in to modern society Picture: LIU BOLIN He sees his work as a silent protest against the Government's persecution of artists Picture: LIU BOLIN The Chinese authorities shut down his art studio in Beijing in 2005. Contemporary art was in quick development, but the Government decided it did not want artists to gather and live together Picture: LIU BOLIN Many exhibitions were forced to close during this time Picture: LIU BOLIN "The situation for artists in China is very difficult," he says."The forced removal of the artist's studio is in fact my direct inspiration for this series, 'Hiding in the city'" Picture: LIU BOLIN The series has received critical acclaim from art experts across the world Picture: LIU BOLIN He says: "There are many people who like my work I think because my work has a quiet strength" Picture: LIU BOLIN "My work is a kind of reminder, to remind people what the community we live in really looks like, and what kind of problems exist" Picture: LIU BOLIN http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/culturepicturegalleries/5886805/The-invisi...