Invited by Steven Henry Madoff and the Tel Aviv Art Museum, curator Hou Hanrou and artist Liu Xiaodong collaborated to produce a series of paintings during a month-long exploration of Israel and Palestine. In his final series of 20 works, titled “In Between Israel and Palestine” and gathered in this book, Liu Xiaodong explored the vastly contrasting environments of the two conflicting states. During the four weeks he lived in Tel Aviv, Liu travelled throughout the Holy Land to witness and research the implications of religion, nationality, and cultural diversity, and his impressions are vividly recorded in this collection of intimate and honest paintings. Enhancing the projects breadth are Liu’s written diaries and the documentary film that was simultaneously produced and is included on the accompanying DVD. This exhibition was on display at the Mary Boone Gallery in New York City from September through October 2013. A leading figure in the "Neo-Realist" movement that emerged in China during the 1990s, Xiadong paints from life -- often in plein air settings -- and has an eye for narrative details, mannerisms, and subtle human interactions. Xiadong's brushwork is deft and direct and the varied locations that appear in his work suggest that his oeuvre is his travel diary. A documentarian with a heart, his canvases strike a balance between blunt description and narrative empathy.  Huffington Post About The Author: Liu Xiaodong is one of China’s foremost artists and a professor at Beijing’s Central Academy of Fine Arts.