About the artwork
TUP Dedicated to expressing Buddhist thoughts through art, Li Chen’s sculptures are of minimalist forms and lines, embracing the Chinese philosophy of Tao, “Qi”, and energy. Round and smooth, they embody an internal softness, and appear meditating, or on clouds, their figures always showing inner peace and calmness. In ‘Travelling in Mountains’, Li Chen depicts a representative of Buddha meditating amongst clouds. The landscape is symbolic with ethereal and sacred connotations, with mountains often having mythological references. The figure conveys an inner peace and spiritual contentment that is separated from earthly pursuits. With his work, Li Chen bridges contemporary art with ancient traditions and philosophy, acting for the survival and resistance of his culture.
About the artist
Li Chen was born in 1963 in Taiwan. His distinctive style of incorporating feelings of self-mindfulness and interpretations of Chinese classics from Buddhist and Taoist traditions, blended with contemporary thought and earned him critical acclaim worldwide. In 1999, Li Chen had his artwork debut in Taipei, and has since exhibited in New York, Chicago, Jerusalem, Copenhagen, Miami, Paris, London, Beijing, Shanghai, Geneva, Singapore, Seoul, etc. In 2007, he became the first Chinese artist to give a solo exhibition in the Venice Biennale. In 2012, Art Investment magazine claimed that based on total global auction house sales figures, Li Chen was the sixth best selling artist in the world.
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