Bronze sculpture Edition: 1/8

139 × 48 × 33.5 cm. 54 3/4 × 18 7/8 × 13 1/8 in.

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

LITERATURE (different editions)
2010, The Beacon: When Night Light Glimmers Li Chen, Asia Arts Center, Taipei, p. 44-49
2012, Greatness of Spirit – Li Chen Premiere Sculpture Exhibition in Taiwan, Asia Arts Center, Taipei, p. 202
PROVENANCE
Asia Arts Center, Taipei
Acquired directly by present important private Asian collector from the above

This work is accompanied by a certification of authenticity issued by Asia Arts Center, Taipei

The Ever-Bright Blaze,the Eternally Pursuing Soul
The Artistic Inspiration in Li Chen's Beacon Series

‘'Behind the Beacon series is a ceremonial process; its essence lies in Yinze - the full of diminishing glory and the moon.''

――Li Chen

After rising to eminence in 1999 with Energy of Emptiness series, Li Chen became recognized for the voluptuous forms of his sculptures and his ingenious fusion of heaviness and lightness. Following a decade of artistic exploration, he embarked upon his Beacon series in 2009. Beacon comprises eight works, all of which feature a golden flame. With this series, Li took his technical mastery to new heights and developed original subject matter.

In Chinese mythology, Suiren, literally the “Flint Man” introduced humans into the era of fire and civilization. Inspired by this, Li Chen started his Beacon Series as his understanding and discovery of the contemporary context. Through the contrast between the bright candles and the dynamic figures, Li builds a spiritual dimension. The creation of this series originated from Li's personal experience. When he returned home one day, he lit a candle that had not been used for a long time. The moment of tranquillity and the flickering fire warmed him with subtle pleasure. He also found that the act of “lighting a candle” had a wonderful effect on his state of mind. “Through the ‘ceremony' of lighting a candle,looking at the candlelight, the pace of people will also slow down and achieve a relaxing effect.” He believes that the process could help awake and amplify human sensations in calming tranquillity.

Soaring Dragon：The Ascending Power of Light

Soaring Dragon (Lot 133) from 2010 is one of the defining works of the Beacon series. The flame takes the form of the mythical Chinese torch dragon, represented with its talons splayed. This dragon lends the work a powerful sense of movement. It is reminiscent of a romantic poem by Li Bai in which “a dragon ascends the nine heavens”. With consummate craftsmanship, Li Chen made an immortal sage rising through the clouds, raising a torch in one hand.

Li used three colours ―― gold, silver, and black ―― to create a multi-layered visual experience. The way that the sculpture rises upward signifies enlightenment. The inextinguishable flame reminds us that, before we can enlighten others, we must first become enlightened ourselves by continually honing our wisdom and spirit. Through a variety of evocative shapes, Li Chen reimagined traditional Buddhist imagery. With full attention to detail, he is able to create lifelike scenes that pull viewers in and resonate with all.

The Body Running on the Flying Clouds, the Dreamer Pursuing with Shining Spirits

The Pursuer (Lot134) completed in 2010 presents a figure pursuing the candlelight, which becomes its vivid homonym name in Chinese. Li eternally fixed the galloping moment of the man, who has the candlelight as a guide to pursue the light in the heart. The horizontal body is like a swift arrow, breaking through the clouds with a sense of flowing speed. He has one foot raised backwards, forming a sharp perpendicular structure against the other foot on the ground. The deliberately exaggerated feet are like a seal, firmly sealing and shaking the earth. He stretches out his hands and held up the candle, guiding the light of the road ahead. Clouds linger around the waist, carrying the lightness of the soul. With the unique aesthetics of “controlling the weight over the light”, the work interweaves the black and round body into the silver fluttering clouds, solidifying the moment of “running to ignite”. The candlelight is the goal, the belief, and the dream, which contains the eternal and indomitable power, illuminating the firm face of the character.

As a classic representative of Li's Beacon Series, the large-scale version of The Pursuer was exhibited in the large-scale solo exhibitions of him, including the exhibition at the Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall in Taipei in 2011 and the other one at the Place Vendôme in Paris in 2013. It also stood at the destination of the Silk Road project, a 150 day-100km marathon, which was the first time for the human being to complete the Istanbul, Turkey--Xi'an, China route by just running. Finally, a Taiwanese athlete named Kelvin Lin completed the marathon and ignited the work. The Pursuer shows the kinetic energy of life in the shape of a horse stepping on a flying cloud. The light in its hand is like a holy fire, becoming a spiritual symbol of striving forward and unremittingly chasing dreams, which is of special significance._x000D_

Price estimate:
HKD: 1,000,000 - 1,800,000
USD: 127,400 - 229,300

Auction Result:
HKD: --