Liu Jianhua’s primary working materials are porcelain, artifacts, and waste products imported from foreign countries; he is drawn to these materials because of their cultural implications and material history. Liu worked at the Jingdezhen Pottery and Porcelain Sculpture Factory before formally studying sculpture—experiences that heavily influenced his earlier, more autobiographical small-scale sculptural works. Works from this time also featured found objects referencing specific periods of Chinese history. His later works take on global economic and social issues, particularly the wasteful by-products of manufacturing hubs and advanced consumer cultures. His 2006 installation Yiwu Investigation was the first of several featuring an overwhelming amount of detritus from an industrial center.