Qijun Li

ARTWORKS

Mixing references that reflect his upbringing in the U.K. but as a member of the Chinese diaspora, Qijun Li’s art revolves around ideas of consumption of experience. Painting in a very distinctive style that feels very current, he elegantly depicts plum blossom, roses, dim sum, the moon, it’s all about the shared experiences of people. This could be a cultural experience or even a digital one. But most importantly, what interests him the most is the link between people. 



Qijun's interest in art was born from an initial language barrier. When he first moved to the UK as a very young child, he didn’t know a single word of English. But he found solace and communication in art. ‘To me,’ he explains’, ‘it was easier to just draw. Excuse the cliché but a picture truly speaks a thousand words. In my opinion, it’s the universal language.’ While he has moved past fixating on ever-expanding omnipresence of the digital, as he is a member of ‘generation Y,’ and has grown up surrounded by technology, it will always be prevalent in his work. Just like it’s deeply ingrained it is to our everyday lives.

‘My work follows my own reflective state on identity in a postmodern world, retrospectively and currently looking back upon my life experiencing growing up in the United Kingdom but being a member of the Chinese diaspora. My practice is as a culmination of experiences, similar to the structures of life. I see them as a sum of my own experiences, whether it stems from a geographical or ethnic culture, or even from a more ubiquitous consumption of mass media, news or entertainment’ 


'Prunus Mume'

UNAVAILABLE

Original painting
Oil & Acrylic on canvas, 2020
60 x 70 cm
Includes Certificate of Authenticity

Inquire

Deriving his imagery from popular culture, he represents the world we live in, in the form of figurative painting, looks for collectivity. In this way, he analysis the meaning and role of objects within the consumption of experiences. Deconstructing the meaning of all things is very much a postmodernist attitude, which emerged toward 1980. Since that time, artists and creatives started to ask more overtly and persistently: How do words and images acquire meaning? What is the message? Who originates it? What and whose purpose does it serve? Who is the audience and what does this tell us about the message? 


'S Rank'

SOLD

Original painting
Oil & Acrylic on canvas, 2020
60 x 70cm
Includes Certificate of Authenticity

Inquire

In the end, artists, critics, curators, writers and philosophers tried to come up with it came to the conclusion that there is no final answer. By denying any one interpretation, Postmodern theory destroyed the credibility of the authoritarian hierarchies of styles, mediums, issues, and themes, and it opened the door for everything and everyone. By bringing together experiences of himself and others, Qijun's works reflect this postmodern world.  

'Genesis'

UNAVAILABLE

Original painting
Oil, Airbrush & Acrylic on canvas, 2020
90 x 120cm
Includes Certificate of Authenticity

Inquire


Follow Qijun on his instagram.
Artwork photographs courtesy of the artist. Portraits taken by Alina zum Hebel (website/ instagram). Photography courtesy of where’s the frame? and Alina zum Hebel.



where’s the frame? - ‘Lick the Future’ is a collection of London vanguards  comprising of 6 artists that are making waves. The collection will be available from December 2020 until the end of January 2021.


Ask us about the work from the artist
or want to be the first to hear about our next collection