No. 046
Li Liangchen
Space-Time Valley
195cmx140cm
Ink and color on silk
2023
US$5,000
This piece combines ink wash with heavy mineral pigments in "blue-and-green" (Qinglu) style to depict a mystical realm beyond the wilderness. The dominant blue tones infuse the classical landscape with a veil of mystery. The landforms are inspired by the plateau terrain of Shangri-La, Yunnan. The imagery of the horse is introduced into this fairyland through personification, embodying the concept of "Zuowang"—sitting in oblivion—while wandering through the valley beyond time and space. ("Zuowang" is a Daoist term from Zhuangzi, referring to a state of deep meditative detachment where one transcends the self and the world.)
About the Artist
Li Liangchen
（China， b.1997）
PhD Candidate in Fine Arts and Calligraphy, China Academy of Art. Based in Beijing. As a post-90s artist bridging traditional paper-based media and the digital age, Li Liangchen seeks to embed contemporary emotions and reflections within the classical framework of silk and mineral pigments. Drawing on the ancient tradition of blue-and-green landscape painting, he uses color and composition to express human alienation and longing in the digital era. Through the “blue-and-green” filter, he reexamines his relationship with nature, tradition, and a rapidly changing world. His works have been exhibited at Today Art Museum, National Art Museum of China, and He Art Museum, and are included in the collections of Beijing Shu Art Museum and the China Art Museum Association.