Li Chen was born in Yunlin, Taiwan in 1963, and currently lives and works in Taichung. Renowned for his distinctive "ink-black sculpture", Li merges classical Eastern philosophies—particularly from Buddhist and Taoist traditions—with contemporary thought and a sense of spiritual self-awareness. His works convey an extraordinary balance of weight and lightness, presenting an aesthetic that is at once rooted in tradition and wholly contemporary. Drawing from a “dual composition” of Eastern spirituality and Western sculptural form, Li's practice also engages in an ongoing dialogue with the spiritual and material cultures of Africa and Oceania, creating a globally resonant, transcultural sensibility.

Li's artistic vision aspires to what he calls a "spiritual arts therapy," aiming to uncover joy in simplicity and craft a contemplative space through playful, often humorous metaphors on worldly affairs. His sculptural universe explores the paradoxes of human nature—both its imperfections and aspirations—with tenderness, clarity, and depth.

Li Chen's career began in earnest with a debut exhibition in Taipei in 1999. Since 2000, his works have toured internationally, with exhibitions held in New York, Chicago, Jerusalem, Copenhagen, Miami, Paris, London, Beijing, Shanghai, Geneva, Singapore, and Seoul. Major solo exhibitions include Energy of Emptiness at the 52nd Venice Biennale (2007), the National Art Museum of China (2008, Beijing), the Singapore Art Museum (2009), the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall (2011, Taipei), and the Frye Art Museum (2012, Seattle). In 2013, his monumental outdoor exhibition at Place Vendôme in Paris garnered international media attention from the BBC, CNN, AFP, and AP. That same year, Discovery Channel released a documentary tracing his creative journey across Venice, Paris, London, New York, Tibet, Beijing, Taipei, and Taichung.

In 2014, Li premiered Ordinary People in Beijing, a series offering critical reflections on social issues and the imperfections of the human condition. This thematic exploration continued in Being: In/Voluntary Drift (MOCA Taipei, 2017) and Throughout the Ages (Aurora Museum, Shanghai, 2018). Recent exhibitions include Ethereal Cloud – Li Chen New Works (Asia Art Center, Beijing, 2019) and Paradox in Elegance: Spiritual Journey through the Mundane World (Asia Art Center, Taipei, 2023). In 2024, Li Chen became the inaugural recipient of the "Outstanding Achievements in the Sculptural Arts Award" presented by the American Friends of Museums in Israel, a recognition of his enduring influence on contemporary sculpture. His work is held in public collections worldwide, including the Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts, the Taichung Art Museum, and the Olenska Foundation in Geneva.