LEVITATING MONK

Famous Chinese monk, Li Wei,  is rising to new heights.
The Chinese monk suspended himself in the air by wires to perform this illusion. He then shot red smoke out of his shoes to create the effect of flying.
And as these dizzying pictures show, he has a real taste for gravity-defying stunts.

The pictures were taken over the Fontaine of Lyons at La Villette in Paris.
Born in Beijing his work is a mix of performance art and photography that creates illusions of a sometimes dangerous reality.

“My work and artistic experience are characterised by a unique specificity and particularity,” the 37-year-old artist from Beijing has said.
My artistic language is universal and deals with themes about contemporary politics and society using symbols understood by everyone in every part of the world.’I am fascinated by the unstable and dangerous sides of art and I hope my works reflect these aspects.’

Wei’s photos, which sell up to $8,000, have depicted him free falling from tall buildings-pictures that resemble the famous photograph of the French artist Yves Kline hurtling out a window.
The artist loves the reaction that his work evokes from people who pass it on the street.

He added: ‘The first reaction is astonishment. Some people think they are full of sense of humour. They are curious about how I did this.
‘Sometimes I am in real danger – I have to hang myself high with steel wires and people do get a little worried for me – but I am fine.’
Li Wei sees his art as both a mission to set the scene for the perfect photograph and a perfect performance.

Matt Blake
Daily Mail