Ink and colour on wooden panel

24 x 24 cm. 9 4/9 x 9 4/9 in. x 2

Left: Signed in English and Chinese on bottom left; signed in English on the reverse
Right: Signed in English and Chinese on bottom right; signed in English on the reverse
PROVENANCE
Original Collection of Italian furniture designer Dino Gavina
Private Collection, Italy
26 Nov 2017, Christie's Hong Kong Autumn Auction, Lot 600
Acquired directly by present Asian collector from above sale
An Artistic Journey from the Years of War

Li Yuan-Chia, the Pioneer of Chinese Abstract Art
“During the 1950s in Taiwan, for a person like Li Yuan-Chia, becoming an artist was a way of 'personal liberation' and 'salvation' from the tragic experiences of the war years.”
British-Chinese art historian Diana Yeh

Li Yuan-Chia was born in a rural family in Guangxi in 1929. He came in Taiwan as a refugee with his aunt in 1949. In 1952, he became a student of Lee Chun Shan, a pioneer of modern painting, and created his first abstract work. In late 1962, he came to Italy at the invitation of Hsiao Chin and joined the Il Punto Group, founded by Milanese painter Antonio Calderara, avant-garde artist Dadamaino, Hsiao Chin, and others. During that time, Li was inspired to create his most famous conceptual works collected in Cosmic Point. In 1968, he established the LYC Museum and Art Gallery in Cumbria (northern England), attracting more than 30,000 visitors each year and leading it to being the “must see” gallery of Northern of England. The 1960s was the peak period of Li's career. He collaborated with UK's top galleries, such as Signal and Lisson, and held a joint exhibition with Fontana. After losing his battle with pancreatic cancer, the Tate Modern Gallery in London and the Taipei Fine Arts Museum held retrospectives of his work. 1–1=1(Lot 123), featured in this auction, belongs to the same series as the work in the Tate Modern collection, and Untitled(Lot 122) is a part of Li's most famous Cosmic Point series. Both works were created in the 1960s, and both reflect the main creative concepts of Li's art.

The White Space of Wuwei (“Nonaction”)
The whiteness of 1–1=1 represents the vast universe. The white dot in the center of the work symbolizes the beginning of all things and reflects the artist's view that the “dots comprise the cosmos”. The point in the middle mirrors “Earth” within the universe. The two parallel lines do not intersect, each of them running in their own “field of activity”. Another piece belonging to the same series was exhibited at the Tate Modern in London and was later added to its permanent collection, which shows the important position 1–1=1 holds among other works created by Li Yuan-Chia.

Cosmic Point Narration
Untitled is a set of two pieces. Both pictures feature three big black dots painted on a monochromatic background that symbolizes “emptiness”. The composition is simple and refined. Even though the paintings are small in size, they are full of cosmic energy. In addition to the black dots (epitomizing the beginning and the end) and whiteness (representing purity), Li also painted small red dots that symbolize blood and life itself, reminiscent of the scars left during the journey through life and an embodiment of Li's proactive life attitude.

A Prominent Collection
When Li Yuan-Chia arrived in Italy in 1962, his works were appreciated by famous Italian furniture designer Dino Gavina, who sponsored Li's stay in Bologna, and introduced him to Modern art masters such as Alberto Giacometti and Marcel Duchamp. 1–1=1 and Untitled (set of two pieces) were once collected by Gavina, their provenance therefore being well documented. The color palette of both works is moreover extremely simple, showing the unique artistic style of Li Yuan-Chia, a Chinese artist exploring Europe in the 20th century

Price estimate:
HKD: 60,000 – 80,000
USD: 7,700 – 10,200

Auction Result:
HKD: 76,700