EXHIBITED:
The Beacon–When Night Light Glimmers , ShContemporary 10: The Asia Pacific Contemporary Art Fair, Shanghai, September 9-12, 2010
Greatness of Spirit: Li Chen Premiere Sculpture Exhibition in Taiwan , Chang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, Taipei, November 6 - December 4, 2011
Li Chen's Major Sculpture Solo Exhibition , Place Vendôme, Paris, September 2-29, 2013 (larger version)

ILLUSTRATED:
The Beacon Series When Night Light Glimmers , Asia Art Center, Taipei, 2010, color illustrated, pp. 78-85 & back cover
Greatness of Spirit: Li Chen Premiere Sculpture Exhibition in Taiwan , Asia Art Center, Taipei, 2012, color illustrated, pp. 118-121, black and white illustrated, pp. 36-37 (potter's clay version)
Li Chen's Major Sculpture Solo Exhibition , Asia Art Center, Taipei, 2014, color illustrated, pp. 112-113; black and white illustrated, p. 81 (larger version)
This sculpture is to be sold with a certificate of authenticity issued by Asia Art Center, Taipei.

Born in 1963, Li Chen is an artist who divides his time living in Taichung and Shanghai. Early on in his career, Chen dabbled in the study of Buddhism and Taoism, and he was later able to fuse the emotion of religious introspection with the spirit of creative freedom. He also absorbed Eastern traditions, Western sculpture, and the rawness of Africa and the arts of Oceania, combining them with contemporary thinking, which freed him from the constraints of a singular tradition and allowed his creations to rival the wonders of nature. During the 1990s, his vigorous personal creative concepts led him to forego his Buddha statue carving profession in favor of focusing on creation of art. His creations are intertwined with his personal emotion and contemporary spirit; his sculptures seem simultaneously classic and modern. His works emit harmony of life that strives for a new reflection. Li Chen is achieving personal spiritual healing through creation of art. He is seeking paradise on earth, creating spiritual realms in his works. He is conveying metaphors in humorous ways. We hope viewers can see the spiritual elements within.

ANGELIC SMILE
LI CHEN

To the bashful lass in “Angelic Smile”, the lotus flower is a source of comfort and joy for the mind and soul. Her well-rounded, full figure and elongated upper body are typical of both classical and modern Chinese female figures. The work may rouse a myriad of feelings in the viewer – one may feel a sense of blessing, longing, satisfaction and innocence, and even be inspired to make a wish. At here, Li Chen shows his playful streak in his presentation of the cloud, which takes the shape of a shower cap or a pillow resting on the head of the figure. When viewed from behind, the head is hidden by the cloud, which in turn resembles a rather abstract-looking face. We marvel yet again at how Li Chen stretches our imagination and piques our curiosity in his inimitable style.

Li Chen’s works reflect his study of the physique, historical artifacts, and environment of the inhabitants of the Orient, and viewers will be able to discern the people groups Li Chen has sculpted through the texture of his works. "Angelic Smile" represents an encore for The Beacon series. The most important element of The Beacon is fire, which was discovered and utilized by Suiren about 5000 years ago. Suiren’s discovery greatly impacted humanity. Today, technology advances in pursuit of correcting what is wrong and has significantly altered living conditions, so much so that the purest meanings have ceased to exist. Fire remains constant, regardless of place or time, gender or race; it continues to bring warmth, to cook, to light the world. Respect and emotion for fire can still be found in various live activities and religious ceremonies. The Beacon expresses the idea of being uninhibited by time, space, and rigid boundaries. From the selection of the materials to the concept of a light remaining through a thousand years of darkness, Li Chen full-heartedly expresses the spiritual light and aura he has absorbed, and through his observation of culture and the world, he intuitively carved out the characteristics of Orientals.