A Slap is a video that documents a live performance by artist Li Liao in Wuhan in 2011. With his eyes closed and hands in the pockets of his jacket, Li stands in the middle of a busy street, seemingly undisturbed by the activities and movements around him. Several minutes later, a man suddenly approaches him, slapping Li hard on his cheek before walking away. Keeping his eyes closed, Li wobbles but soon regains his balance. A crowd gathers to watch the act, while Li remains in the same position. Li recruited a man online to participate in the performance, challenging distinctions between private and public, and expectations and reality.
Li Liao (born 1982, Hubei) lives and works in Shenzhen, China. He graduated from the Hubei Institute of Fine Arts in 2005 and was nominated for the Hugo Boss Asia Art Award in 2013. His solo shows include Art is Vacuum at White Space Beijing, and he was a part of rites, thoughts, notes, sparks, swings, strikes. a hong kong spring at Para Site in Hong Kong in 2012.