Artist Interview｜Li Yiwen: Beyond The Realm of Time
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文化
2024-04-27 14:46
中国香港
THE MOMENT: Li Yiwen Solo Exhibition 46 Sai Street, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong
Artist Interview｜Li Yiwen
Q: We’re honoured to have this opportunity to chat with you today. We have reviewed this batch of new works and found them stunning. We also noticed that these works demonstrate a lot of inheritance and relevance compared to your previous works, but there are also some distinct differences. Could you please introduce the creative background of this batch of works to everyone first?
Li Yiwen: Over the past three years of the pandemic, it has been like an opportunity for me to reflect on my personal past experiences. Since my studio was located in a village, it would be closed off during outbreaks. At that time, I was living in a residential complex and would often open up my previous works and contemplate what I truly desired and what my core values were. It was a process of self-reflection and consolidation that allowed me to gain a clearer understanding of what I wanted. I have been continuously contemplating and pondering, feeling that I should delve deeper and explore broader horizons. As a result, these latest works have emerged.
Q: Can you please briefly introduce the main ideas or themes of this batch of works to the audience?
Li Yiwen: I believe that the main theme of the new works primarily revolves around familiar subjects, such as architecture and concepts related to time. For instance, I create scenes that resemble memories but also possess a strong futuristic style. I perceive time as a form of re-extraction, where I extract the past, future, and present from the realm of memories and transform them into a new form of time. It becomes a sensation of time that exists independently outside of the notions of the past, future, and present — it is an entirely new experience.
Tempera and Acrylic on Wood
Q: You have consistently mentioned the "third kind of time" in your works, so I guess this batch of works also belongs to such a philosophical or logical system.
Li Yiwen: Yes, I feel that all of my works have a special sense of time. Sometimes, this feeling is difficult for me to define precisely, and I may create my own words to describe it, which may not be entirely accurate. However, I believe that it is something unique, distinct from the time measured in seconds and minutes as referred to in physics, psychology, or science. That series of works that resemble glaciers and icebergs, I named it "The Moment" because it is a specific concept of time in Buddhism. In Buddhist scriptures, it is said that "a snap of a finger contains sixty moments, and nine hundred births and deaths occur within one moment." These are specific time concepts in Buddhism, which I feel may share some similarities with the time I described.
Tempera and Acrylic on Wood
Q: Can you please provide further insights into your sources of inspiration or influences on your work?
Li Yiwen: I believe that the most genuine source of inspiration for any artist, including the origins of their work, comes from their life experiences. It includes the environment in which they were born and raised, the societal context, and the people and events they encounter every day. I am certainly no exception. For example, I was born and grew up in Luoyang, a city in China. There is a cave temple called Longmen Grottoes in Luoyang, and I spent my childhood there. My grandparents' house was opposite the Longmen Grottoes, and I would play there every day. When I was around ten years old, my parents moved to a large heavy industrial factory. I believe that the origins of all my works are closely intertwined with these formative experiences of my upbringing.Q: In this batch of works, there are many elements of science fiction. Could we talk about how the sense of "futurism" is reflected in these works?
Li Yiwen: I believe that the sense of "futurism" in these works is something that emerges subtly and naturally from beneath the brush. Since I was young, I have had a particular fondness for sci-fi novels, including sci-fi films. I have likely read or watched almost all of the well-regarded science fiction novels and movies. For example, I started with Arthur C. Clarke's works, as well as William Gibson's "Neuromancer," which was the original source for "The Matrix" film. I have also read almost all of Liu Cixin's works, in addition to his "The Three-Body Problem" trilogy. Perhaps, after consuming so much science fiction, it naturally leaves an impression on you. As a result, when you view certain things, you may do so with a more futuristic and colder perspective.
Q: Your previous works, such as "Flare Spot" and "Superstring," tended to be more pure, rational, and conceptual, as you mentioned, with a strong presence of science fiction elements and philosophical contemplation. However, this current batch of works seems to combine that contemplative aspect with the inclusion of narrative or scenes. How do you view this kind of combination or development?
Li Yiwen: As you grow older, sometimes your thoughts become more enriched, and I believe it becomes a more profound way of thinking. It's not about extreme singularization of a single thing or direction; sometimes you may feel that a work needs to incorporate more elements, including human emotional experiences and personal journeys. For example, in my recent works, I have depicted rotating staircases within expansive landscapes. I have employed a personification experience, where I perceive these staircases as two individuals dancing or moving together. Furthermore, these spiralling staircases resemble the life experiences of individuals in society, embodying the struggles, thoughts, and aspirations of climbing upwards.
Three Kinds of Reality, 2023
Q: We have also noticed that there are no figures depicted in the visuals of this series of artworks. Instead, there are more scenes representing human life, giving a sense of emptiness or absence of people. What is your specific intention behind this?
Li Yiwen: I portray scenes from buildings in a personified manner, for example, using rotating staircases as the main subject, they replace the figures. In fact, they are the figures themselves, representing the projection of our self-emotions and experiences.
Q: We have also noticed that there are no figures depicted in the visuals of this series of artworks. Instead, there are more scenes representing human life, giving a sense of emptiness or absence of people. What is your specific intention behind this?
Li Yiwen: During my experiments with various color materials a long time ago, I discovered that the metallic colors or disruptive colors of acrylics, for example, when you look at the colors, such as walking past a large canvas, the colors on the left and right would have slight differences. Moreover, the colors would have wondrous changes under different lightings. These changes are related to the themes I want to express in my artwork, related to memories and the sense of time and space in the future. I believe these colors can convey such a feeling more effectively and better align with the themes I want to express.
Q: You just mentioned the halo of memories, so what kind of space do you think these scenes present? For example, are they constructions of memories or imagination, or an externalization of psychological space? What does it mean to you?
Li Yiwen: I believe that both scenes from memory and recollection, as well as the externalization of psychological space, are present. In many of my artworks, they are simultaneously manifested. These artworks may represent scenes from memory while also conveying a sense of desolation or emptiness within one's psyche. The artworks tend to carry this feeling, which is often connected to human experiences. I think each individual has their own unique feelings or temperament, but whether an artist can express them through their artwork is the most important aspect.
Q: Where do you think the sense of desolation in your inner self comes from?
Li Yiwen: The source of such desolate feelings may be difficult to trace, but as we discussed earlier, it could stem from childhood, birth, upbringing, and memories. For example, when I was a child, I used to gaze at the Longmen Grottoes by the riverside. Since I could see it every day when I opened my window and played inside, it became a symbol of ruins. Ruins, in themselves, carry a unique sense of desolation shaped by the passage of "grand history." I believe this element may have influenced me and possibly shaped my perception of art as well.Watercolor 2018.10.1, 2018Q: In the previous interview, you mentioned that you didn't want your works to have too much narrative and literary qualities. Do you still think they should not have a narrative aspect?
Li Yiwen: Yes, I still believe that my works do not possess a narrative aspect or literary qualities. The scenes they depict evoke a psychological response, and I would say they awaken the underlying emotions of an individual. They are not telling a story. When I mention literary qualities and plot-driven elements, I am referring to certain images that prompt storytelling, where viewers would think about what kind of story exists within those images. I feel that my paintings lack a story; they only carry a certain essence or atmosphere.
Q: So, for you, how would you describe the emotional weight that these artworks carry?
Li Yiwen: In fact, emotional weight cannot be quantified, but I feel that these artworks effectively reflect my desire for a certain temperament in my works. I believe that the first criterion for any artist's work, in terms of its quality, is whether it possesses a distinctive temperament. As I also enjoy looking at artworks by other artists in art history, one of my favorites is Ni Zan, who was one of the "Four Masters of the Yuan Dynasty" in ancient China. His works have a desolate and barren temperament that instantly captivates me. I consider it a highly sophisticated quality. If we were to follow the traditional Chinese standards of assessing art, which include "divine, marvellous, capable, and extraordinary," I would say that Ni Zan's works belong to the extraordinary category, and that is what I strive for in my own artworks.
Q: You mentioned earlier that before painting these scenes, you did some modelling work using software to assist in the process.
Li Yiwen: There are various methods involved in creating these scenes. Some of them are created using software, while others are made manually by hand. Additionally, for certain specific scenes, I directly search for existing images on the internet because search engines nowadays are very effective in finding online image resources. Sometimes, I further refine and modify these resources using 2D software or 3D software like SketchUp. There are also instances where I create references manually.Q: You also mentioned in the interview that a sense of apocalyptic or desolation in your works is partly derived from a lack of trust in technology. So, I'd like to ask from another perspective, how do you view the current development of AI?
Li Yiwen: I believe that, at least for now, the underlying logic of AI technology can still be well-utilized as a tool by humans. The concern regarding the awakening of AI intelligence, as of now or based on the current underlying architecture and algorithms, is not something that has been achieved. Therefore, it may be something to consider for the future. For artists, I think AI could potentially become a useful tool.
Q: We have observed the changes and development in your works over these years. What new focal points and developments can we expect in your future creations?
Li Yiwen: Regarding focal points, I believe it's impossible to predict for oneself. However, in terms of subjects like architectural scenes, there were a few years when I abandoned that theme and hardly painted any of it. But recently, I have started painting it again because I realized that there were depths and breadths that I hadn't fully explored before. So, my current interest and motivation are quite strong, and I may continue creating artworks in that direction.![]()
About the Artist
Li Yiwen
Li Yiwen was born in 1982 in Henan, China. He graduated from the Department of Mural Painting at the Central Academy of Fine Arts, Beijing in 2006 with a Bachelor's degree, and in 2011 with a Master's degree from the same department. He currently lives and works in Beijing, China
Some of his recent solo exhibitions include: Synchronic Field, Mocube, Beijing, 2023; Turbulence, Mocube, Beijing, 2021; Durée, Leo Gallery, Shanghai, 2018; Integrative Structure, Leo Gallery, Hong Kong, 2016; LI YIWEN, Irene Laub (FEIZI) Gallery, Brussel, Belgium, 2015; LI YIWEN, Yang Gallery, Beijing, 2014; Twinkling, Times Art Museum, Beijing, 2013 among others.
His group exhibitions include: Encountering Asia - Diversified Youth Vision, Sichuan Fine Arts Institute Art Museum, Chongqing, 2018; New Language of Beijing, San Yuan Contemporary Art Center, Beijing in 2018; The Dilemmas of Painting, Asia Art Center, Beijing, 2017; The Third Today’s Documents, Today Art Museum, Beijing, 2016; Romancing Relevance: A Remix of Sameness, Art Museum of Nanjing University of the Arts, Nanjing, 2015; MICROSCOPE - The Inner Mindscape of Five Contemporary Chinese Artists, Leo Gallery, Hong Kong, 2015; This is Not Painting - Exploring the Boundary of Painting, Asia Art Center, Taipei, 2015; The 2nd CAFAM Future Exhibition: Observer-Creator/The Reality Representation of Chinese Young Art, CAFA Art Museum, Beijing, 2015; The Sixth Chengdu Biennale, Chengdu New International Convention & Exposition Center, Chengdu, 2013; Painting Lesson III: Elementary and Extreme Structure, Yang Gallery, Beijing, 2013; Fresh Eyes 2011 - Framework Growing Inside Out, He Xiangning Art Museum, Shenzhen, 2011; The 2nd Session of Today's China Art Exhibition in Beijing, Art Museum of China, Beijing, 2007 among many others.
狮語画廊丨上海 Leo Gallery ShanghaiFerguson Lane, 376 Wu Kang Road, Xuhui District Shanghai 200031, China.Tues-Sun: 11am-6.30pm (Public Holidays Closed)Shanghai@leogallery.com.cn 狮語画廊丨香港 Leo Gallery Hong Kong香港上环西街46号
Sheung Wan, 46 Sai Street, Hong Kong
Mon-Sat 11am-6.30pm (Public Holidays Closed)
+852 28032333
hongkong@leogallery.com.cn
www.leogallery.com.cn
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