Bronze sculpture Edition: 7/8

76 × 29 × 24.5 cm. 29 7/8 × 11 3/8 × 9 5/8 in.

Dated, Signed in pinyin with an artist's stamp, and numbered on the bottom of the backside

LITERATURE (different sized edition)
2004, 1992-2002 Li Chen Sculpture, Asia Art Center, Taipei, p. 84-87
2007, Li Chen: Energy of Emptiness – 52nd International Art Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia, Asia Art Center, Taipei, p. 132-135
2008, Li Chen: In Search of Spiritual Space – Solo Exhibition at National Art Museum of China, Asia Art Center, Taipei, p. 58-63 and 197
2009, Li Chen: Soul Guardians - In an Age of Disasters and Calamities, Asia Art Center, Taipei, p. 160, 174 and 176
PROVENANCE
Important Private Collection, Asia

This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity issued by Asia Art Center, Taipei

Contemplation and Contentment, Abundance and Joyfulness
The Spiritual Enlightenment in Li Chen's Meditation

“I like to heal myself through my works, and use a humorous, witty, and metaphorical way to impact humanity, opening up the inner world of human beings, and exploring the insight that belongs to another space.”
——Li Chen

Merging the roundness and refinement of the oriental Buddha statues, humor, and interest of contemporary elements, Li Chen presents the attitude of “lifting weight as light”, which is the individual vocabulary of Li's sculptures. He refines Eastern philosophies from the principles of Buddhism and has realized spiritual perception from the inside out. He tries to convey a different spiritual world with different works, which are widely praised by the Chinese and Western art circles. In 2007, he became the first Chinese artist to hold a solo exhibition in the Venice Biennale, and in 2008, 2009, and 2011 he successively held solo exhibitions at the National Art Museum of China, Singapore Art Museum, and Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall in Taipei. In 2013, the large-scale exhibition held at Place Vendome in Paris caused huge attention. His works were also collected from organizations, such as the Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts, the Geneva Olenska Foundation, St. Regis Hotel in Singapore, and other institutions, which shows his leading position in Chinese art world.

The Vitality of Gold, Silver, and Black

Since 1998, Li Chen has stepped into a new creation stage with the Energy of Emptiness series. Using the traditional technique of ink-color lacquer, he has created an image with a heavy appearance and an empty and airy interior, laying the foundation for his aesthetics that seems both heavy and light. In the subsequent Spiritual Journey through the Great series launched in 2001, people created by him wander in the context of the void. Moreover, he experimentally applies gold and silver leaf onto the ink lacquer. Meditation completed in 2002 is the second work that combines the three colors, gold, silver, and black, which is very representative.

The protagonist of the work is an enlightened person who is enjoying himself through the practice of Vipassana. Standing on top of the clouds, he has a peaceful face. His arms are raised, holding a smiling golden sitting Buddha. The striped texture indicates the shining golden posture, which seems to be in the realm of spiritual consciousness. Li visually interweaves rich layers of gold, silver, and black. The elegant black shapes the harmony of the character, the clear silver creates a cloud with an ethereal beauty, while the blazing gold here is like a substantive symbol of the spirit of the character, with the symbolic meaning of “divine and eternity” in the culture and the wisdom of enlightenment in Buddhism. With the usage of gold foil, the work shows the highest point of spirituality in the golden Buddha statue held by both hands, illustrating the spiritual brilliance.

Reflect the Outward World, Observe the Internal Life

In addition, the work shows a state of introspection from outside to inside through a multi-dimensional perspective. If viewed from the front, the protagonist's body has not been sculpted too much, with only one diagonal line crossing the body, suggesting the robe he wears for practice. The round body seems to be filled with qi, which indicates the essence of “emptiness”. The image of the Buddha above is presented with lines full of tension, like the abundance and flow of spiritual energy, revealing gleaming vitality. If you look at it from the back, you can find that the work has abandoned all the face details and is only shown in an abstract body. The character seems to stand upside down on the cloud, but it still holds the incarnation of the spirit solemnly and steadily, showing the floating body and contemplating mind.

The title of the work is Meditation, referring to the “Vipassana” in Buddhism practice. It is intended to “observe” the reality of the body and mind inward, to achieve the completion of wisdom. In the work, the character is traveling on the cloud, closing his eyes, and meditating, as if to dispel all misconceptions and delusions. The character concentrates entirely on the exploration of the spiritual world, while the Buddha statue at the top laughs happily. Seeming to be enlightened, he feels the abundance and joy in the light. With the face that could be viewed, Li presents the invisible thoroughness and enlightenment of the spirit, illustrating his understanding of the highest realm, “Contemplate the Buddha in mind; Feel the happiness inside”.

Price estimate:
HKD: 620,000 - 800,000
USD: 79,700 - 102,800

Auction Result:
HKD: 1,800,000