Annie Leibovitz Photographs the “Invisible Man” Who Camouflages into Anything

Body Paint in Moncler Advertising Campaign

Chinese artist Lui Bolin, aka Invisible Man, and renowned photographer Annie Leibovitz have teamed up in two advertising campaigns for the luxury apparel brand Moncler. Fusing Bolin’s penchant for body paint illusions and Leibovitz’s incredible photographic eye, they’ve produced images that are as enchanting as they are surreal. In each photo, Bolin dons a snowsuit made by Moncler, but there is virtually no difference between what he’s wearing and his surroundings. Instead, he and the landscape are one.

The collaborations cover the Spring/Summer 2017 and Fall/Winter 2017 collections. The first campaign begins with the type of lush settings you’d expect to see in the warmer weather months. Additionally, it’s inspired by literature and features Bolin’s chameleon-like abilities among stacks of books. In the second campaign, Bolin and Leibovitz venture to the glaciers of Iceland where Moncler’s outerwear is meant to be—among the chilly grandiose gray and blue landscape.

Regardless of the locale, the two creatives will make you do a double take. Proving he’s the master of disguise, Bolin carefully positions himself so that elements of the landscape and his body painting are a perfect match. Often, it’s only the outline of his silhouette that’s visible—making these images as much a visual puzzle as they are advertisements.

For two seasons, artist Lui Bolin and photographer Annie Leibovitz have collaborated on an advertising campaign for Moncler apparel.

Body Paint in Moncler Advertising Campaign

It started with Spring/Summer 2017, which featured lush greens and literary landscapes.

Body Paint Illusions of Liu Bolin Photographed by Annie Leibovitz

 

Body Paint Illusions of Liu Bolin Photographed by Annie Leibovitz

Bolin's “disappearing” body paint illusions continued to Fall/Winter 2017 in Iceland.

Body Paint in Moncler Advertising Campaign

Body Paint Illusions of Liu Bolin Photographed by Annie Leibovitz

Body Paint Illusions of Liu Bolin Photographed by Annie Leibovitz

Body Paint in Moncler Advertising Campaign

Annie Leibovitz: Facebook
Lui Bolin: Website
h/t: [Trendland]

All images via Moncler.

Related Articles:

Annie Leibovitz’s Celebrity Disney Dream Portraits

Annie Leibovitz Captures Striking Portraits of Strong and Inspiring Women

Liu Bolin is Lost in Art

Camouflage Artist Liu Bolin’s Creative Process

Sara Barnes

Sara Barnes is a Staff Editor at My Modern Met, Manager of My Modern Met Store, and co-host of the My Modern Met Top Artist Podcast. As an illustrator and writer living in Seattle, she chronicles illustration, embroidery, and beyond through her blog Brown Paper Bag and Instagram @brwnpaperbag. She wrote a book about embroidery artist Sarah K. Benning titled 'Embroidered Life' that was published by Chronicle Books in 2019. Sara is a graduate of the Maryland Institute College of Art. She earned her BFA in Illustration in 2008 and MFA in Illustration Practice in 2013.
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