Li Chen, widely recognized as a sculptor, has exhibited his sculptures in renowned exhibitions of different scales in acclaimed international venues and museums. His latest catalog, Extrasensory Perception · Cumulonimbus — The Art of Li Chen 1971-2022, takes the ‘Ethereal Cloud’ series as a pivotal point to explore the fundamental philosophy underlying his art. This exploration adopts a fresh approach by incorporating Li’s graphic works in addition to his well-known sculptural practice.
The catalog commences with two essays introducing Li Chen’s philosophy behind the ‘Ethereal Cloud’ series and presents an extensive collection of pieces from this series. A chronological structure follows, outlining important events in Li’s artistic trajectory while highlighting and illustrating significant styles and pieces from each phase. Through an interspersed arrangement of sculptures and graphic pieces, the catalog delves into the way different aspects of artistic genres resonate with one another, and how they co-evolve symbiotically.
Moreover, the supplementary booklet ‘Vignettes on Square Labels’ documents Li’s daily inspirations and thoughts. Showing the experimental quality in Li’s paintings on unusual materials, the booklet addresses the intricate relationship between art and life, through which it offers profound insights into Li’s multifaceted expressions in both sculpture and graphic works.
