Bronze sculpture

90 x 64x 77 cm. 35 1/2 x 25 1/8 x 30 3/8 in.

Singed in Chinese and English， numbered on bottom left； dated on bottom right
LITERATURE
2004, 1992-2002 Li Chen sculpture, Asia Arts Center, Taipei, p.82-83
2007, Li Chen: Energy of Emptiness - 52nd International Art Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia, Asia Arts Center, Taipei, P.118-119、P.121-127、P.129 & P.219
2008, Li Chen: Solo Exhibition of the National Art Museum of China - Space for Spirit, Asia Arts Center, Taipei, p.50-57 & Bottom page
2010, Li Chen: Spirit, Body, Soul, Singapore Art Museum, Singapore, p.94-103
2011, Atmosphere - Li Chen's First Large Sculpture Exhibition in Taiwan, Asia Arts Center, Taipei, p.59 & p.78-79
2018, United Daily News, United Daily News Corporation, Taipei, Front Page

Edition: 8/8


EXHIBITED
8 Jun - 21 Nov 2007, 52nd Venice Biennale - Li Chen: Energy of the Nether, Venice
29 Apr - 11 May 2008, Li Chen: Looking for Space for Spirit, National Art Museum of China, Beijing
17 Sep - 9 Dec 2009, Li Chen: Spirit, Body, and Soul, Singapore Art Museum, Singapore
6 Nov - 4 Dec 2011, Atmospheric – Li Chen Taiwan's Largest Sculpture Exhibition, Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, Taipei
2 Sep - 29 Sep 2013, Li Chen's 2013 Large-scale Sculpture Exhibition at Paris Vendome Plaza, Vendome Square, Paris

PROVENANCE
Asia Arts Center, Taipei
Private Collection, Asia

This work is accompanied by a Verification Report issued by Asia Arts Center

The Great Wisdom
of Li Chen's Sculpture Art
Born in Taiwan, Li Chen has broken through the limit of the form used by Buddhist sculpture for a millennium through continuous exploration and has successfully fused the classic spirit with modernity, endowing Eastern sculpture with a unique and unprecedented style, as well as personal styled characteristics. Since 2000, Li Chen's works have exhibited in New York, Paris, London and Singapore, highly recognized on an international scale. In 2007, he held a major solo exhibition in the 52nd Venice Biennial, which made him the first Chinese artist to present a solo exhibition for a century. Along with international sculpture masters like Anish Kapoor, Jeff Koons, and Antony Gormley, he ranks among the top 10 artists of the highest amount of transactions in the global auction market.
A groundbreaking work seeking the truth of the spiritual world.
Completed in 2001, the work, Dragon-Riding Buddha, is regarded as a representative of Li Chen's breakthrough to exceed the limits of traditional Buddhist sculpture form and establish his own artistic style. In 2009, it exhibited conspicuously at the front door of Singapore Art Museum and became the focus of the milestone solo exhibition in his art career.
At the top of the work, a rotund and sincere Buddha stands aloof from worldly success without thought-coverings, with eyes closed and a wee smile on his mouth. His head slightly hangs low, right hand making a gesture, left hand holding a sacramental purifying bottle, leaving the viewer a sense of prudence. He stands with arms wide open, seemingly giving all mortal beings a warm embrace. The dragon at the bottom is filled with energy and a robust vitality, revealing a lively and benevolent expression. Each foot rests on a dragon ball, a lotus flower, an auspicious cloud, and heavenly flame respectively. The shape of its back resembles tortoiseshell in a modern sense, while analogous to a standing quadripod viewing from the side. Harmoniously coordinated with each other, the Buddha and the dragon form a stable relationship, calm and steady.
Between the substantial and emptiness lies infinity.
Regarding the shape, the concise outline constantly varies with light and shade, leaving an exquisite charm to the soft and full contour. The Chinese ink characterized by a matt glowing finishing of the black color gives the statue a bold and vigorous look from a distance, yet exquisite and glossy like a fine lacquer at a closer look, fusing steadiness and gracefulness together in this work. As in the folk belief of “Guanyin riding a dragon,” Guanyin is praised for her boundless power and her virtues of riding the people of a scourge and keeping all living beings in peace and contentment. With a deep and thorough comprehension, Li Chen has transformed the ancient legend into a modern image, unsophisticated and witty.
“Emptiness” is the essential aesthetic concept of Li Chen's artistic practice. He has simplified the intricate and elaborate technique of woodcarving, shaping the perfectly round contour with spiritual respond. Through years of meditation, Li Chen has realized a heartwarming artwork that belongs to the current era, not only raising the aesthetic concept of artistic creation to a higher level, also reaching to the good, the beautiful and the harmonious of human nature. Hence, it is the emptiness of spiritual energy that infuses the substantial sculpture. It is the innocent and delightful spirit that is conveyed by the overwhelmingly black body of the material.

Price estimate:
HKD: 900,000 - 1,500,000
USD: 114,600 - 191,100

Auction Result:
HKD : 1,829,000