Li Chen 李真

Li Chen, born in Yuanlin, Taiwan in 1963, is the most exciting and accomplished of the new generation of sculptors in Asia. His life and work are guided by his deep commitment to Buddhism. His powerfully modeled bronze figures contain references to classical Chinese sculpture but use contemporary concepts of modeling to express the realities of the modern world. His works have won numerous awards, and the beauty and spiritual depth of his sculptures have found favor with individual and institutional collectors as well as with Buddhist practitioners. Indebted to Buddhist imagery of the Tang and Song dynasties, Li's works use the past as a springboard for developing his own highly individual expression, which relies on minimizing detail and ornamentation for simplicity of form. His work was recently featured in a solo exhibition held in conjunction with the 52nd Venice Biennale.